By Rupesh Samant

Sankhalim (Goa), Jul 6: Union Minister for Railways and Commerce Piyush Goyal on Saturday reiterated that union government is committed towards solving the mining issue in Goa.

He said that the issue will have to be solved within ambit of law recognizing Supreme Court verdict and the unique position of Goa.

The mining industry in the State has come to a standstill during last one and half year after Supreme Court quashed 88 mining leases.

“We are committed to solving the mining issue. Chief minister had several meetings with our leadership in Delhi. He had several meetings also with Prime minister on this issue,” Goyal told reporters at the sidelines of an event organised to launch BJP membership drive in Goa in presence of chief minister Pramod Sawant.

“It is a very difficult issue which has to be resolved within the framework of the law and yet recognizing the special situation in Goa,” he said.

The union minister said that the legal department of Goa and law ministry in Delhi are working together how to find the solution for mining issue given the fact that SC had earlier ordered that all natural resources of this country should be auctioned.

“This (order to auction) was order in the wake of massive coal gate scam that the congress and UPA had indulged in when they had given large number of mines to select parties,” he said.

“But, Goa has a very peculiar situation where mining has been going on for several years. These are not new mines. So we have to find the solution within the ambit of law, recognizing the SC judgment and the unique position of Goa,” Goyal added.