the goan I network
MARGAO
The government on Tuesday publicly sought the support of the opposition Congress to back the Bill for resumption of mining operations in Goa as and when it is tabled in
Parliament.
Power Minister Nilesh Cabral made the request to senior Congress leader and Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro at a programme in Navelim to inaugurate a power transformer on Tuesday.
“As a leader of the Congress, I request you to get the support of your party at the Centre to help pass the Bill on mining as and when it comes up in Parliament,” Cabral told Faleiro.
“Faleiro has a different mindset on the mining issue. We belong to two different parties. There’s a misconception that mining is going on in a large area when the operation is concentrated in only three per cent of the total area of the State,” he said.
Cabral said that Goa needs funds to tone up and upgrade the State’s infrastructure, including power.
“No doubt, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has been trying to get funds from different sources, which implies we require money to upgrade the infrastructure,” he said.
He pointed out that the people of Goa are not ready to bear any further taxation, leaving the government with no option but to scout for other sources to raise revenue. “Even if the government hikes the power tariff by five paise, people shout from the roof tops. This leaves us with hardly any option than to look out for other sources of revenue. I have promised Faleiro of improved power infrastructure in Navelim and I expect him to get the Congress to support the Bill on mining as and when it comes up in Parliament,” he added.
