Business
Goa’s economy can’t revive with mining ban in force

With an alarming decline in Goas economic growth, the state government can no longer afford to sit on the issue of mining ban, a survey revealed.
According to the Economic Survey released by the Directorate of Planning, Statistics and Evaluation, Goa’s economy grew by a mere 1.6 per cent in 2020-21.
The coastal state’s economy is heavily dependent on manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, and mining. While the first two sectors showed a clear decline during the assessment period, the inflow of both national and foreign tourists was curtailed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The survey observes that during the pandemic period, the tourism-related businesses came down to almost zero. On the other hand, mining operations have stayed suspended in Goa for more than four years.
“The major chunk of mining related businesses has not been able to switch over or diversify their line in view of bleak changes of buyers for their assets riddled with debts. Alternate business for existing mining assets in other states is not easy to get as there are a lot of challenges posed from local people of respective states,” said Ralph De Sousa, President, Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI).
“And for assets like river barges it is more challenging as operations are typical to Goa Logistic system. Also, overall, there is no alternative to the mining business to replace the employment that is lost due to abrupt stoppage of mining operation 4 years ago. There is a hope given that mining is going to start soon so disposing the debt ridden asset gets tricky.
“The financial situation worsens with every passing day with the Goa mining ban continuing with no firm solution but hope of a major decision by the Government to restart mining. The state’s businesspersons are witnessing worsening CIBIL rating and at the same time financial institutions are facing rising NPAs.
“The immediate resumption of Goa mining industry can provide relief to the stressed situation in the state,” he added.
Goa’s consistently rising debt is an alarming concern over the last 10 years. Depending solely on loans and advances would over a period come to haunt the borrower as interest element too augments.
Goa’s main economic pillar, mining, continues to lie in suspension for several years which causes not just economic concerns but also causes hardships to those dependent on it. Ease of doing business has been affected and further casts apathy on the industrial sector on how operations, infrastructure, markets, foreign exchange, value addition built up from scratch, entirely by the industry be allowed to deteriorate with time.
The local industry as well as other Apex chambers have repeatedly raised concerns and the desired solutions expected to be taken from the Government.
“Keeping in mind sustainability, mining needs to resume earliest,” said Glenn Kalavampara, Secretary, Goa Mineral Ore Exporters Association (GMOEA).
According to the Economic Survey, Goa’s primary sector accounted for 5.24 per cent of the gross state domestic product GSDP in 2020-21.
Even the secondary sector, which contributed 55 per cent to the state economy, saw a decline, and only the tertiary or services sector was seen bucking the trend with 39.72 per cent contribution.
The state’s economic activity at constant prices for 2020-21 is estimated at Rs 53,959.86 crore, as against Rs 53,099.57 crore in 2019-20.
National
BJP wants to grab land in every UP district, alleges Akhilesh Yadav

Lucknow, June 28: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh, alleging that it was trying to usurp land in every district of the state.
Addressing a press conference, Yadav said the BJP was misusing bulldozers and government machinery, with the active support of party workers and the local administration, to forcibly acquire land.
He particularly pointed to Gorakhpur, the home turf of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, claiming irregularities in land registration there.
“The people of Gorakhpur should ask in whose name the maximum number of registries have been done,” Yadav said.
“If the truth about Gorakhpur comes out, the government will have to build a custody corridor there instead of passing on any inheritance. Compensation for land and houses is not being given fairly. The administration is pressuring locals into signing consent papers, using the police to instill fear, just so they don’t have to pay proper compensation,” Akhilesh Yadav alleged.
Accusing the government of cheating locals, he added, “People lost land in Ayodhya, came close to losing it in Banaras, and now Gorakhpur is next. It’s not just Gorakhpur’s land that’s being targeted — this mindset was also visible in Lucknow. Even their own advisor had to resign. I don’t know who he was colluding with — those he aligned with have now fled the country.”
Yadav also took aim at the RSS, criticising its demand to remove the words ‘Socialist’ and ‘Secular’ from the Preamble of the Constitution.
“Those who oppose the reservation don’t say it openly. Instead, they target the concepts of secularism and socialism. Their opposition to reservation is masked in these attacks,” he said.
Yadav accused the BJP and its ideological allies of trying to polarise voters. “They want to get votes by spreading hatred,” he alleged.
National
Need to educate youth so that Emergency is not repeated: Delhi CM Rekha Gupta

New Delhi, June 28: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday recalled the murder of the Constitution during the Emergency imposed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975, highlighting the need for reminding youth about the dark chapter of democracy.
“Just as we stage Ramlila every year to tell youngsters that they should not become like demon king Ravana, this annual commemoration of the Emergency is needed to prevent the return of the dark chapter in future,” she said at a mock parliament organised by Mahila Morcha of Delhi BJP.
Highlighting the Emergency-related changes made in the Constitution, forced sterilisation, restriction on media and films, she said, “The Congress has only worked to retain power over the past 70 years. Even in the Shah Bano case, the then Congress government brought in a law to appease a community at the cost of the exploitation of women.”
She described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “Guardian” of the nation, showcasing his vision to start women-friendly schemes, free cooking gas, toilets, tap water, nutrition scheme for women and the quashing of ‘Triple Talak’.
“It started with Beti Padhao, Beti Bachao and today it is Beti Badhao,” she said, underscoring the encouragement for women in the BJP to take up leadership roles.
“Today, when the country is giving a big role to women in decision-making and governance, we will also need to raise our ability to respond to the situation,” Rekha Gupta said, highlighting that a common worker of the BJP like her could become a Chief Minister.
“Who other than Sonia Gandhi is a prominent woman politician in the Congress?” she asked, urging women workers of the BJP to ensure that they play a significant role to oppose any other attempt being made to impose an Emergency like that by former PM Indira Gandhi.
In Delhi, when people want delivery of good service after 27 years of misrule in the city, we as women politicians must have the capability to understand the needs of people and deliver the goods, CM Gupta said.
Earlier, the Delhi BJP released a short video on its X handle as part of the Emergency 50 protest. The video carried the message: “Democracy wasn’t just paused. It was strangled and put behind bars, beneath fear and silence.”
The video titled ‘Emergency Never Again – June 25, 1975, The night democracy died’ shows a character, purportedly similar to late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, walking away barefoot, leaving behind footprints on the ground that highlight the dark aspects of the Emergency.
As the character walks onto the screen, the ground highlights: “Constitution Torn, Democracy Strangled, Press Silenced, Voices Crushed, Opposition Arrested, Innocents Jailed, No Right to Life”.
Crime
Parents of Kolkata law college rape victim should be ready for long battle like us: RG Kar victim’s parents

Kolkata, June 28: In the midst of the outrage and politics over the rape of a woman in a Kolkata law college, the parents of the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital rape and murder victim stated on Saturday that the law student’s parents should also be ready to fight a protracted legal battle.
Their comments came days after a Kolkata-based law college student became a victim of rape within the college premises on June 25 evening.
They stated that the woman’s parents should also be ready for a long battle considering the influential backing enjoyed by the three accused in the case.
The mother of the junior doctor who became a victim of a ghastly rape and murder in August last year, expressed apprehension that like the case of her daughter, there might be attempts to protect the accused in the law college rape case also in the due course.
Hence, they feel that what is required now is a mass movement exactly in line with what happened after the heinous crime with their daughter.
“What is even more shocking is that even after the tragedy with my daughter, there was not enough initiative to ensure the safety of women within educational institutions where they study. The administration and ruling party are now trying to shy away from their responsibilities over the crime in the law college rape. It is natural. But the reality is that the influential backing that the accused persons enjoyed gave them the courage to conduct such a heinous crime within the college premises,” the R.G Kar victim’s mother said.
The father of the R.G. Kar victim said that he fears that like the case of his daughter, there might be attempts by influential people and even a section within the administration to protect the accused.
“So I also feel that the parents of the victim in the law college case should also be prepared for a long battle like us. They should understand that the administration will not do anything and they will have to fight their own battle as we have been doing. What the victim’s parents need now is the spontaneous public support which we have received,” he said.
All the three accused in the case, namely Monojit Mishra, Zaib Ahmed, and Pramit Mukhopadhyay were linked to Trinamool Congress’ students’ wing Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP).
Pictures of Mishra with different top and heavyweight Trinamool Congress leaders have already flooded social media. While Mishra is a former student of the same law college, the other two are existing students.
All three of them, on Friday, were remanded to police custody till July 1.
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