Saturday, April 10, 2010

Goa Blog

Goa Blog

Goa CM Kamat clarifies on Modi remark

Posted: 10 Apr 2010 06:13 AM PDT

Less than two days after calling Narendra Modi his “best friend”, beleaguered Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat on Saturday said he “had a good relationship with all chief ministers, including the chief minister of Gujarat” and that his remarks on Modi were taken “out of context”.

“My statement has been taken out of context solely to create media and political hype,” Kamat said in an official statement.

Kamat’s remarks during a media briefing on Thursday, in which he called Modi his “best friend”, had triggered a political churning here, with the state Congress president Subhash Shirodkar stating that the Congress high command should act on such comments.

“I want to firmly state that selective interpretation of a casual remark could not undermine my commitment and loyalty to the Congress party’s secular ideology and liberal politics,” Kamat said.

“I had told the reporters that I would not be attending the function for which Gujarat chief minister has invited me,” Kamat said in his clarification vis-a-vis the possibility of him attending the Gujarat Swarnajayanti Diwas on May 1.

Incidentally, Kamat during the press conference Thursday had expressed his willingness to attend the May 1 function. “If they (Gujarat government) have invited, I will go. Modi is my best friend,” Kamat had said.

Courtesy:IBN

China ban threatens Goa’s iron ore exports

Posted: 10 Apr 2010 02:29 AM PDT

Curbs imposed by china on the purchase of lowgrade iron ore by its traders will hit Goa's exports substantially, industry insiders revealed. "about 70% of Goa's iron ore is exported to China. Of this some 80% is low-grade iron ore. If China implements a ban on iron ore with less than 60% iron content, about 30 million tonnes of iron ore export will be affected. We don't have any official communication about this. I personally hope that it's a temporary phenomenon," mine owner Shivanand Salgaocar said.

On Thursday, agencies reported that the China chamber of commerce of metals, minerals and chemicals importers had banned its members from importing ores with less than 60% iron content. The ban applied to trading firms only and not to steel mills and their licensed agents.

An immediate fallout of the ban was felt at the bourses on Friday as shares of India's largest iron ore exporter Sesa Goa started the day at Rs 493 and fell to Rs 468.70 at close of trading, down 4.49%, at the Bombay stock exchange.  Though mine owners in Goa maintained there is no official confirmation about the Chinese move, all those TOI spoke to admitted that the ban would have an adverse impact on the state.

Courtesy: TOI
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