Auctioning of mining leases in Goa to get over by Nov 2022: CM Sawant

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday said the auctioning of eligible iron ore mining leases in the state will get over by November 2022, but it would take one year after that to begin the extraction of fresh ore.

Talking to PTI in Sankhalim, his Assembly constituency in North Goa, Sawant said this one-year period is required to complete all the formalities.

The mining activities in Goa had come to a standstill in March 2018 after the apex court quashed the second renewal of iron ore mining leases given to 88 companies in Goa in 2015, and prohibited the extraction of fresh ore.

The state has now put up four iron ore mining leases for auction. This is for the first time in Goa's mining history that leases are being awarded through auctioning.

"The first batch of four leases have been auctioned by the State Directorate of Mines and Geology, SBI CAP and Metal Scrap Trade Corporation Limited, while the process is on to auction the rest of the leases by November 2022," he ...