BJP Govt not serious towards permission for mining in rivers: Harish Rawat

Ramnagar, 12 Feb: Union Minister of State for Labour, Harish Rawat today alleged that BJP led Uttarakhand Government was not serious towards ensuring permission for mining in the rivers of state from the Centre. Addressing a Press Conference here today, he sought to lay blame on the State government for the denial of the mining permission by the Centre in case of rivers in the state.
The Union government had permitted excavation from Gaula River as a special case. Union government could permit for other rivers, but the state government did not submit essential documents in this respect, he claimed. If state government sent proper documents for excavation permission, union government would consider the request, certainly.
Rawat said that Union government permitted excavation from Gaula Riiver as a special case. The Government could also permit mining in other rivers too, if the state government fulfilled necessary formalities, he claimed. It was the responsibility of state government. He said that Union Government was not responsible for it. It was not a political issue, he said. It was question of employment and livelihood to thousands of persons who were engaged in the excavation from rivers. State government was misguiding the people on this matter, he added.
Rawat also said that his Ministry was very serious towards job oriented education. Ministry was upgrading 2000 ITIs in which 23 would be upgraded in Uttrakhand. 1500 new ITIs, 5000 skill development centers and 10,000 vocational training providers would be opened in the country very soon.