Goa govt cuts mining lease registration fee

The BJP-led Goa government on Friday decided to drastically reduce the registration fee for mining leases from 100% to 5% of the stamp duty.

"The registration fee related to grant of renewal and transfer of mining leases has been brought down to 5% of the stamp duty from the earlier 100% ," Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said, speaking to reporters.

Manohar Parrikar, Parsekar's predecessor, had increased the registration fee which worked out to100% of the stamp duty.

The cabinet, which met at Porvorim this afternoon, approved the reduction in the fees.

"The mine owners had refused to pay the fees, and requested the government to cut them. We have taken this decision for speedy resumption of industry," Parsekar said

The mining industry in Goa came to a grinding halt two years ago with a Supreme Court ban; the ban has now been revoked and the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest recently also revoked the suspension of environmental clearances of most of the mines.