EXPORT DUTY HIKE WILL RUIN GOAN ECONOMY
Mr Shantaram Naik M.P. today requested the Finance Minister not to enhance the export duty on iron ore from 5% to 20% as proposed in the budget since it will hit the Goan economy badly.
Mr Naik said that iron ore extracted from Goan mines is of low grade and that it has no market in the country, and that, the notion that pallets can be manufactured from such ore is not correct.
Mr Naik said that only palletisation plant in Goa has been closed as it could not survive under any circumstances.
Mine owners may survive in their own way even with the increase of duty but the fate of 15000 truck owners who are engaged in the business of transporting ore, and in general, fate of the 20% population which directly or indirectly depends upon iron ore activity in Goa, will be doomed.
Mr Naik said that the provision of Rs 900 crores in the budget for increasing production of pulses, edible oil and vegetable production is most welcome.
He pleaded that the Land Acquisition (Amendment) Bill, Rehabilitation and Resettlment legislation and policy, which have provisions to ensure, proper price in land acquisition cases, alternate agriculture land to those who loose agricultural land, and alternate house plots to those who loose their houses and job preferences etc, be brought into force at the earliest.
Mr Naik also welcomed the proposal in the budget in the matter of micro financing where the amount has been enhanced from 4000 to 5000 crores.
SHANTARAM NAIK
