Vedanta Limited is likely to start its iron ore mining operations at the Codli mines in Goa today. The company will restart its business after a closure for nearly three years. Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar will be formally inaugurating the ceremony.
In an interview to CNBC-TV18, Parsekar says the creation of jobs is more important than the revenues that will be generated through the business.
The Goa government had temporarily banned iron ore mining in September 2012 pending verification of documents in the wake of Justice M B Shah Commission's report. In October 2012, Supreme Court imposed a blanket ban on mining while hearing a petition. It lifted the ban in April last year, but with conditions.
Below is the edited transcript of Laxmikant Parsekar’s interview with Anshu Sharma on CNBC-TV18.
Q: Your views on the reopening of the mines.
A: Frankly speaking, it will be a golden day during my term as Chief Minister. It will be a historical day, history event, to be written n golden letters because for last over three years, with blanket ban on mining, everything was a standstill. A large number of people had lost their jobs. Some of them are on the verge of losing job and unemployment problem has turned into a serious issue. And therefore, resumption of mines obviously a golden day.
Q: Now, that the mining has resumed in the state of Goa, how much revenue are you expecting?
A: More than revenue generation for the state, what I am looking upon is the creation of jobs, creation of employment. All those who were displaced, all those who are idle, all those who are without jobs, they need to be placed on the job, that is my first priority. And I am amazed, I would say. Actually I had targeted October, 2015 as the date for resumption of mining. My friend at Vedanta has started two months prior to that.
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