Panaji: The ongoing controversy over the alleged Rs 1.86 lakh crore coal blocks allocation loss could have lessons for the multi-million dollar iron ore mining industry in Goa.
The Congress, which is battling charges of corruption at the centre in the coalgate scandal over refusing to auction the coal reserves, is now demanding that the 800-odd operational mining leases in the state be auctioned, instead of being merely renewed in favour of the lease.
"Goa's mines should also be auctioned every year. Why should a few families control mining in Goa? Most of the leases which are expiring soon should be now slotted to auction annually," Congress legislator and spokesperson Reginaldo Lourenco demanded on Monday.
Lourenco said the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP)-led coalition government was poised to renew the leases for most operational mines for a period of 20 years each and that mere renewal and not an auction of the mining lease could lead to a loss of Rs 2.40 lakh crore in revenue spread over two decades....
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12:02 PM, Aug 27, 2012
