Centre, not Goa to recover Rs.35,000 crore mining loss: CM

Panaji, March 26 (IANS) The Goa government is not responsible for the recovery of the Rs.35,000 crore loss caused in the state's illegal mining scam, and it is up to the central government to recover the monies, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said on Thursday

In a written reply to a query posed by independent member from Bicholim, Naresh Sawal, in the ongoing budget session of the assembly, Parsekar said the BJP-led government was only concerned about resolving "legal issues" linked to the illegal mining scam.

"The recommendations regarding recovery mainly are also with regards to export etc. coming within the purview of the central government. However, as regards issues concerning the state are concerned, they are mostly legal in nature and the same are expeditiously tackled," he said.

Successive governments in Goa have been accused by civil society groups of going soft on the main accused in the mining scam, which the Justice M.B. Shah Commission credited to a nexus of politicians, bureaucrats and Goa's mining industry captains.

After coming to power in 2012, after complaining and protesting against illegal mining for over seven years, the BJP-led government over the last two and a half years has failed to prosecute any major player involved in the mining scam and exposed in the commission report.