Alleged mine allotment scam in Congress-led Rajasthan brings 1,000 cr loss to the state? Read More-
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Jaipur, July 21: In yet another scam within the Congress-led Rajasthan government, the state mines department allegedly changed limestone mines to marble in order to benefit a firm, bringing a loss of ₹1,000 crore to the state.
Limestone mines come under the major mineral category and can therefore be auctioned under rules laid by the Government of India, however, marble is a minor mineral and auctioned under state government rules.
According to the reports, the department had twisted the category of ‘limestone (cement)’ to marble and allowed RDSA mining company to continue operations in two mines of 74.29 hectares and 10.41 hectares respectively in Pratapgarh district.
The survey conducted in 1983-85 called these blocks of limestone. Another committee in July 2019 placed the blocks in the limestone category. However, another committee, in February 2020, called it marble, instead of limestone.
BJP spokesperson and MLA Ramlal Sharma accused the state government of allotting natural resources to satisfy its MLAs and said the BJP has already alleged that the head of Rajasthan (CM) is allocating the state’s natural wealth to satisfy MLAs and save the government.
He said these allegations are now proving to be right, and the news reports are indicating the same – this seems to be the biggest mine scam of the state where the mine category was changed and mines worth ₹1,000 crore were auctioned starting from ₹5 crore.
Also Read: 1,500 ventilators received by Rajasthan govt under PM-CARES Fund unused & unpacked
This is not the first time that scam has taken place in the state. Around 11.5 lakh covid-19 vaccine doses have been wasted till 21 May since the first shot began which was given on January 16 in Gehlot-led Rajasthan administration.
Union Minister and Jodhpur MP Gajendra Singh Shekhawat had also attacked the Rajasthan government over the wastage of Covid vaccines in the desert state, asking who will take responsibility for the alleged wastage of 11.5 lakh vaccines doses in the state.
In May, when there was oxygen shortage across the country, over 1,500 ventilators received under the PM CARES Fund are lying unused and unopened in Rajasthan. Despite the alarming Covid situation in the state, the machines have neither been repaired nor replaced since last year.