Panaji, Mar 31 (IANS): The Goa government should utilise the Rs 300 crore special grant announced by the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget, for building a full-fledged cancer hospital, instead of blowing it up on conducting functions to commemorate the state's 60th anniversary of its liberation from Portuguese rule, South Goa Congress MP Francisco Sardinha said on Wednesday.

"Instead of spreading it in the state by conducting functions, use it to create a full fledged cancer hospital in Goa. Cancer is rapidly increasing and people have to either go to private hospitals where the charges are very high or they have to go all the way (outside the state)," Sardinha said.

Sitharaman in her Budget speech had announced allocation of Rs 300 crore to the Goa government for celebrating the 60th year of the state's liberation from 451 years of Portuguese rule in 1961.

Sardinha also implored the BJP-led coalition government in Goa to restart the state' mining industry at the earliest.

"By hook or by crook take up the mining matter with the central government which is also ruled by BJP," Sardinha said.

Excavation of iron ore has stopped following a Supreme Court order, which scrapped 88 operational mining leases citing irregularities in the lease renewal process adopted by the state government.