the goan I network
PANAJI
The State government is planning to utilize the statutory fund of the two District Mineral Funds to implement projects with potential to create income generating opportunities in the areas where the mining ban has affected people’s livelihoods.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant who on Thursday reviewed the ongoing welfare projects being implemented under the District Mineral Fund said, the government will utilize money from these Funds for the purpose of taking up some projects to create livelihoods for the mining ban affected people.
Sawant chaired meetings of both the recently re-constituted District Mineral Foundation committees which were held on Thursday at the State Secretariat at Porvorim. Contributions to the two District Mineral Funds come from mining companies operating in the two districts by statute and thus far over Rs 180 crore has accumulated in both the districts.
He directed both the committees to prepare annual plans for spending the fund on different welfare schemes in Goa’s mining eastern heartlands. He told the officials to lay emphasis on devising initiatives that will throw up income-generating opportunities.
Emerging from the meetings, Sawant told the media that both the committees are headed by the respective District Collectors who have been tasked with submitting a prospective annual expenditure plan within a month.
The chief minister said, BJP MLAs Pravin Zantye, Joshua D’Souza and Glenn Ticlo will be drafted in the North Goa Mineral Development Fund panel, while BJP MLAs Carlos Almeida, Subash Shirodkar and independent MLA Prasad Gaonkar will be in the committee of South Goa.
“The funds were spent on water supply and transportation in the past four years. Now, we will spend on all sectors like agriculture, irrigation, health and education besides others,” Sawant said.
Money will also be invested in areas where income generating opportunities will be created for the local people, Sawant said, adding that up to Rs 48 crore can be spent in North Goa in the next one year. In South Goa, the up to Rs 45 crore can spent from the District Mineral Fund, he added.
Once the expenditure plan is prepared, the NGO set up by the mining companies -- Goa Mineral Foundation -- will be consulted and the projects will be executed with State government departments as implementing agencies.
