‘Global tender for BGML’s Kolar gold fields soon’
23 Aug 2013 10:15 PM GMT
Union Mines Minister Dinsha Patel has assured that the Government would implement the Supreme Court order with respect to floating of a global tender for revival of Bharat Gold Mines Ltd's (BGML) Kolar Gold Fields as early as possible. He made this statement at a high-level meeting attended by the Department of Mines Secretary and Joint Secretary and Bharat Gold Mines Ltd CMD at Shashtri Bhavan on Thursday.
The meeting, which had been sought by Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises Minister K H Muniyappa, was convened to discuss how to expedite the process of implementation of the Supreme Court’s directive. On 9 July, 2013, the Supreme Court set aside a Karnataka High Court stay order and directed the Centre to call for a global tender to revive the closed mines as soon as as possible.
Kolar Gold Fields (KGF), one of the largest and deepest gold mines in the world, was closed in the year 2001. The step to shut down Kolar Gold Fields, which was nationalised in 1956 and handed over to state-run Bharat Gold Mines Ltd. (BGML), was taken as it had become uneconomical to operate it at lower price levels.
Muniyappa has been striving hard for revival of the closed mines to save the lives of thousands of families, which are dependent on the mines for their livelihood. It was under Muniyappa that a Cabinet decision was taken in 2006 in favour of the mine's revival.
The implementation of the Supreme Court order will be a great boon, generating direct employment for more than 3,500 employees and indirect employment for around 5,000 more people. This would help greatly in changing the economic scenario of Kolar district.
The meeting, which had been sought by Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises Minister K H Muniyappa, was convened to discuss how to expedite the process of implementation of the Supreme Court’s directive. On 9 July, 2013, the Supreme Court set aside a Karnataka High Court stay order and directed the Centre to call for a global tender to revive the closed mines as soon as as possible.
Kolar Gold Fields (KGF), one of the largest and deepest gold mines in the world, was closed in the year 2001. The step to shut down Kolar Gold Fields, which was nationalised in 1956 and handed over to state-run Bharat Gold Mines Ltd. (BGML), was taken as it had become uneconomical to operate it at lower price levels.
Muniyappa has been striving hard for revival of the closed mines to save the lives of thousands of families, which are dependent on the mines for their livelihood. It was under Muniyappa that a Cabinet decision was taken in 2006 in favour of the mine's revival.
The implementation of the Supreme Court order will be a great boon, generating direct employment for more than 3,500 employees and indirect employment for around 5,000 more people. This would help greatly in changing the economic scenario of Kolar district.
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