News Politics National Congress govt knew about mining scam, claims former minister

Congress govt knew about mining scam, claims former minister

Panaji: Former Goa minister Dayanand Narvekar has alleged that the then Congress-led government had knowledge about the illegal mining scam in the state, but preferred to keep mum on it.Narvekar, who was then finance minister,

The former minister said that the department was then relying only on the data furnished by the mining lease owners, sans any mechanism to cross check it.

Goa is country's biggest iron ore exporting state and has found itself in a financial lurch after Supreme Court imposed ban on the exports.

“The committee is unable to get exact amount of minerals produced in Goa in view of government failure on procedure for accounting minerals but recommends that every ton of exported minerals there should be state permit like excise department,” the minutes, which were circulated during the media briefing, read.