Panaji, June 16 (IANS) The AAP Monday welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks that iron ore from Goa’s mines should be utilized in India itself and not to be exported.
“AAP Goa appreciates Modi’s statement regarding not limiting our mining adventures simply to extract our precious natural resources and bolster the economy of other countries to which they get exported, but to convert iron ore to steel and other finished products that in real terms will give us more jobs and boost our economy,” the party said here.
Modi made these remarks over mining during his one-day visit to the state Saturday.
The party has also demanded that mining industry in the state should be nationalized and taken away from “the grip of private mining companies”. Nationalization will “rejuvenate the economy and ecology of Goa”, said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
The AAP also accused Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar of dancing to the tune of the mining lobby in the state and advised him to strictly enforce the vision presented by Modi to locally utilize iron ore and nationalize the mining industry.
“This message should be heard loud and clear by all those mining companies preparing to be active again in Goa, and strictly enforced by the Goa chief minister, who sadly appears to still be hostage to this rapacious lobby despite the bitter lesson learnt through ban on mining activities for the past two years,” the AAP said.
Goa used to export more than 55 million tonnes of iron ore, especially to China, before it was banned for 18 months by the Supreme Court a couple of years back. The ban has now been lifted and mining is expected to resume after the state government forms a policy for the same.