PANAJI: Chief minister Pramod Sawant said on Wednesday that the state government has only notified the Goa mineral ore permanent fund (GMOPF) scheme, and that no money from it has been utilised yet. He also said that the state has already communicated to the Supreme Court-appointed central empowered committee (CEC) that no funds will be utilised without the apex court’s approval.
Sawant was responding to criticism from some quarters over the state’s use of the fund. “The state has not spent a single rupee yet from the state mineral fund. We want that it should be spent to contain Covid,” he said. “Even if it is utilised, it will be in the interest of the state. But some politicians are criticising so that the fund is kept unutilised. If the state mineral fund is being utilised in the interest of the state, then they should appreciate this, and not criticise,” said Sawant.’
Sawant then explained the mechanisms involved in the usage of the fund money. “On July 27, the CEC member secretary wrote to the directorate of mining and geology (DMG), seeking a clarification regarding the notification of the scheme without obtaining approval of the Supreme Court. On August 9, the DMG clarified to the member secretary that the notification of the scheme has been approved by the state government on condition that its implementation shall be subject to the final decision of the Supreme Court,” said Sawant.
The Supreme Court has not yet given its final decision.
Sawant said that in July last year, the state DMG wrote to the member secretary, CEC, about the submission of the draft GMOPF scheme, and submitted the draft. Then, on December 2, the DMG wrote to the member secretary again over some development pertaining to the draft scheme. However, no response was received from the CEC, said Sawant “In April (this year), an affidavit was filed by the DMG before the SC regarding the scheme in compliance with directions of the SC in the 2012 matter. On June 10, the cabinet approved the GMOPF scheme and placed it before the SC on condition that implementation shall be subject to the final decision of the court,” said Sawant.
The CM said that the state has made the required communications to the CEC from time to time. “It is clear that we want to utilise the mineral fund only in the interest of the state, subject to all clarifications with the SC and the CEC,” said Sawant.
