MAPUSA
The State government has so far not used any money from the Goa Mineral Ore Permanent Fund, said Chief Minister Pramod Sawant but admitted that the government had taken various steps to use the money to deal with the Covid pandemic in the State.
Sawant also said the Opposition was trying to politicize the issue even when the government was taking steps in the interest of the State.
“Our intention is clear. We want to use the Goa Mineral Ore Permanent Fund Trust Scheme in the interest of the State but subject to the clarification of the Supreme Court and the Central Empowered Committee (CEC),” Sawant said.
“Some politicians have the habit of politicizing every issue. People are free to criticize, but it should be in the interest of the State,” he added.
He said the government has not spent any money from the Goa Mineral Ore Permanent Fund but certain steps were taken to utilize the money to tackle the Covid pandemic.
The CEC recently criticised the State for notifying the Goa Mineral Ore Permanent Fund Trust Scheme without obtaining the apex court’s approval.
According to the CM, the Supreme Court was informed at every stage when the Goa Mineral Ore Permanent Fund Trust Scheme was formulated and notified by the State government.
Giving the chronology of the events, he said, the Directorate of Mines and Geology (DMG) on July 27, 2020, wrote to the member secretary of the CEC regarding the submission of the draft of the Goa Mineral Ore Permanent Fund Trust Scheme (GMOPF).
The DMG again wrote to the CEC on Dec 2, 2020, requesting to inform the further development regarding the draft scheme but the state did not get any response from the CEC, he said and added that in April 2021 an affidavit was filed before the SC regarding the GMOPF scheme in compliance with the direction of the top court.
“On June 10, 2021, the cabinet notified the GMOPF scheme and placed before the SC with the condition that the implementation will be subject to the final decision of the court,” the CM said.
He then stated that on July 27, 2021, the CEC wrote to DMG seeking clarification regarding the notification of the scheme without bringing it to the attention of the SC.
He said the DMG again clarified to CEC on Aug 9, 2021, that the notification has been approved by the government and that its implementation was subject to the final decision of the SC.
"We are very clear. We will utilise the scheme only on the direction of the apex court," the CM said.
