BJP manifesto promises Goa Lokayukta within 100 days
February 19th, 2012 - 5:21 pm ICT by IANS
Panaji, Feb 19 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will institute a Lokayukta in Goa within 100 days of coming to power, according to the party’s poll manifesto released Sunday.
Former chief minister Manohar Parrikar told reporters during the release function that all illegal mining cases would be referred to the authority.
He said all those facing allegations of illegal mining right from the chief minister’s office down to the bureaucracy will be tried by the Lokayukta.
“All illegal mining cases will go to the Lokayukta. Government documentation available will be enough to prosecute them,” Parrikar said.
The BJP has charged the Digambar Kamat-led government of presiding over a Rs.25,000 crore illegal mining scam and have accused several cabinet ministers of being involved in illegal mining.
In its manifesto, which was released by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad Sunday, the party has also called for regulation of illegal mining.
“Legal mining needs to be regulated. Dedicated corridors to be developed with two and a half years to ensure safer and trouble free transportation. 60 per cent of royalty received by government on mining will be used for infra structure, developmental projects, agricultural and environmental revitalisation in the areas affected by mining,” the manifesto promises.
Parrikar also said the party would impose an environment cess on mining as well as lobby with the central government to increase the royalty share of the Goa government, which currently earns Rs.1,200 crore in the form of royalty for 51 million tonnes of iron ore exported annually from Goa’s Mormugao Port Trust (MPT).
Illegal mining has been a major issue in Goa over the last few years with civil society groups as well as the opposition taking on the Congress-led coalition government for not acting against the malaise.
-Indo Asian News Service
maya/pg
- Goa port blames Kamat's ministry for illegal ore export - Oct 11, 2011
- Goa illegal mining scam: Panaji port to be made accountable - Apr 08, 2012
- Lokayukta to probe sensitive cases after appointment: Parrikar - Apr 30, 2012
- Parrikar flip-flop: Says no illegal mining in Goa - Jul 16, 2012
- Iron ore barge owners want cap on vessels - Nov 11, 2011
- Parrikar's mining flip flop angers activists - Jul 17, 2012
- Before denial, Parrikar said illegal mining 'incessant' in Goa - Jul 18, 2012
- Goa imposes Rs.5 lakh fine for transporting illegal ore - Aug 14, 2012
- Our report to bare roots of Goa's illegal mining: BJP - Oct 30, 2011
- Goa Congress likens illegal mining to 'murder on the street' - Jan 23, 2012
- BJP, Congress in nexus over illegal mining: Goa activists - Sep 23, 2011
- Elections ahead, Congress, BJP reach out to mining lobby (Goa Newsletter) - Jan 28, 2012
- Parrikar's Lokayukta promise caught in red tape - Apr 05, 2012
- 24 instances of illegal mining in Goa, says Parrikar - Jul 23, 2012
- Parrikar dares Centre to find, shut illegal Goa ore mines - Sep 05, 2012
Tags: asian news, bharatiya janata party, cabinet ministers, central government, cess, chief minister, civil society groups, coalition government, developmental projects, free transportation, goa government, government documentation, iron ore, lokayukta, mormugao port trust, ravi shankar, ravi shankar prasad, royalty share, s poll, two and a half years