PANAJI
Despite accumulating nearly Rs 245 crore under the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) over the last decade, the Goa government has spent barely 24 per cent of the funds meant for welfare and development of mining-affected communities, with nearly half of the expenditure diverted towards Covid-19-related expenses.
Introduced under Section 20A of the MMDR Act through the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY) guidelines in 2015, the DMF was envisioned as a dedicated welfare mechanism for people and regions impacted by mining activities. Goa adopted the framework in 2016, but official data reveals sluggish utilisation of the funds over the years.
Of the total Rs 244.71 crore available in the DMF kitty across North and South Goa, only Rs 60.53 crore has been spent so far on developmental and welfare activities in mining-affected areas. Significantly, around Rs 30 crore, nearly 50 per cent of the total expenditure was utilised during the Covid-19 pandemic towards health infrastructure and facilities.
The expenditure has largely focused on potable drinking water supply, healthcare infrastructure, education facilities, IT-related initiatives, skill development and women welfare schemes in mining belts.
In 2024, the State government unlocked 100 per cent utilisation of DMF funds for developmental projects in mining regions. Until then, as per the DMF rules, 50 per cent of the funds were mandatorily parked in fixed deposits while only the remaining amount could be spent on high-priority sectors such as drinking water, healthcare, education, environmental preservation and pollution control.
Data shows that North Goa accumulated Rs 132.91 crore under DMF, of which only Rs 39.61 crore has been utilised so far. A total of 56 projects worth Rs 62.74 crore were sanctioned, but only eleven have been completed to date. Nearly 16 per cent of the expenditure in North Goa was incurred on Covid-related expenses and other high-priority sectors.
In South Goa, against the available Rs 111.80 crore, expenditure stands at Rs 20.92 crore. During the ten-year period, authorities sanctioned 45 projects worth Rs 31.80 crore, of which ten have been completed while eleven are currently in progress.
Under Section 9B of the MMDR Act, State governments are empowered to establish District Mineral Foundations to work for the welfare and benefit of persons and areas affected by mining-related operations. However, the slow pace of fund utilisation in Goa has raised concerns over delayed implementation of welfare and infrastructure projects in mining-hit regions.
