Leaseholders to submit papers on lease, fencing of lease areas, daily reports on transportation

In a bid to regulate iron ore extraction and transportation by the private sector in Goa, the Directorate of Mines and Geology on Monday issued two orders, directing all leaseholders to submit daily reports on transportation and askingd them to submit documents concerning the lease and fencing of the lease areas.

Even as imported reactor-based atomic power projects are facing tardy progress, domestic nuclear sector firms are cashing in big-time on the demand for specialised nuclear services globally.

Indian cotton farmers should not be asked to bear burden of subsidising textile mills, says Pawar

Miners’ association urges cancellation of December increase in export duty; says development hitting long-term interests

Export shipments of iron ore declined 60 per cent in February on high duty levied by the government to discourage supply to steel mills abroad. Data compiled by the Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (Fimi) showed the overall export fell to 4.22 million tonnes in February, compared to 10.58 mt in the corresponding period last year. The overall export in the first 11 months of 2011-12 recorded a decline of 36 per cent to 55.8 mt as compared to 87.3 mt in the same period last year.

Irked by curbs on milk, cotton and sugar exports, Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar has shot off a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stating that the government’s policies are hurting farmers who are being asked to subsidise the industry.

Mr Pawar wrote to the Prime Minister on Tuesday, a day after a group of ministers disallowed cotton export beyond 13 million bales for the current marketing year.

A group of ministers on Monday decided to continue with the ban on cotton exports, even as the prohibition on outbound shipments had led to intense political pressure on the government.

"For the time being, there is no move to ease the export ban,&" said a senior official who participated in the meeting on Monday.

PANJIM: The Mormugao Port Trust witnessed a 27% decline in iron ore exports for the year 2011-12 as compared to the previous year, bringing down the total traffic handled at the port by 22%.

Revealing figures for the financial year 2011-12, Chairman of Mormugao Port Trust P Mara Pandiyan said that the decline was both due to internal problems like illegal mining as well as a global economic recession that all ports were facing. He however said that the operating income of the port increased by 4%.

Honey might be no longer `nectar' for users. For, a test conducted by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) found that it was more of a sugar served with antibiotics.

Indian companies, cheering the Presidential decree forcing Coal India to fuel their power stations, face a fresh bout of uncertainty as Indonesia has proposed a 25% tax on coal exports which would

Cracking down on illegal mining, the Department of Mines and Geology of Goa on Tuesday took a series of decisions, including the suspension of around 460 licences pending verification, and gave 15 days to all traders to submit documents.

The government planned to come out with a comprehensive policy by May-end, said the new Director of Mines and Geology, Prasanna Acharya, on Tuesday.