Goa's District Mineral Foundation Funds Diverted to Police Vehicles and Gym Equipment
Official records from Goa's District Mineral Foundation (DMF) reveal a persistent pattern of fund allocation starkly at odds with its core mandate under the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY) guidelines. Despite previous scrutiny, expenditures continue to flow towards police vehicles, gym equipment for panchayats, and projectors, with minimal connection to the welfare of mining-affected communities.
Vehicle Purchases for Police and Disaster Management
The South Goa DMF has sanctioned and procured multiple high-value vehicles for non-priority sectors. Records show the purchase of two 4x4 pick-trucks and two SUVs for the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) at a cost exceeding Rs 62 lakh. Additionally, a separate project for two SUVs for the South Goa superintendent of police, valued at Rs 30 lakh, is listed as yet to commence, with e-tendering already completed.
Furthermore, four 4x4 vehicles for the DDMA have been procured at Rs 75 lakh. These purchases were previously questioned at a governing council meeting in August 2025, where South Goa MP Viriato Fernandes challenged why police departments could not allocate their own budgets for such assets. Official documents now confirm these transactions have been finalized or are in advanced stages.
PMKKKY guidelines explicitly mandate that at least 70% of DMF funds be directed towards high-priority sectors:
- Drinking water supply
- Environmental preservation and pollution control
- Healthcare services
- Education infrastructure
- Welfare programs for women, children, the aged, and disabled individuals
Vehicles for police and disaster management authorities fall under none of these categories. Even under lower-priority infrastructure, the guidelines envision community-facing physical infrastructure rather than departmental vehicle fleets.
Recent Sanctions for Gym Equipment and Projectors
More recent project approvals indicate the diversion of funds has expanded. Under the category "any other measures for enhancing environmental quality in mining district," the South Goa DMF has sanctioned Rs 15 lakh for gym equipment in Mollem panchayat and another Rs 15 lakh for similar gear in Panchawadi, Shiroda. Both projects are listed as yet to start.
Additionally, Rs 4.25 lakh has been allocated for five projectors and one interactive display smart board. This mirrors expenditure flagged in August 2025 when police sought projectors for "crime awareness" campaigns.
Stakeholders who previously raised concerns about these proposals argue that classifying gym equipment under "environmental quality enhancement" would be indefensible during an independent audit. "The PMKKKY framework makes no provision for recreational infrastructure under this head, which is explicitly meant for environmental mitigation in mining-affected zones," a source familiar with the developments stated.
Parallel Issues in North Goa DMF
The North Goa DMF exhibits similar irregularities. A Rs 2-crore project to fence abandoned laterite quarries, which sources indicated could have served genuine environmental and safety purposes, has been withdrawn and is "currently under revision." A desilting project worth Rs 18 lakh in Pissurlem has also been withdrawn.
Meanwhile, an ambient air quality monitoring (AAQM) system valued at Rs 1.2 crore remains under scrutiny. The governing council has directed the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) to provide clarifications before final sanction confirmation.
Delayed and Cancelled Projects for Community Welfare
Several projects intended for community benefit are facing significant delays or cancellations. An IT education project for North Goa, worth over Rs 11 lakh, is under "close monitoring" after the chairperson expressed "strong dissatisfaction" over slow progress. In South Goa, an identical IT education project sanctioned in 2023 for Rs 50 lakh has not commenced, attributed to "technical delays."
A skill development project in the hospitality sector, valued at Rs 50 lakh in South Goa, has been cancelled entirely. This occurs as mining-affected villages continue to await essential infrastructure like water tanks and hospitals, while police departments receive new SUVs from the same fund designated for those bearing the heaviest costs of mining operations.
The persistent misallocation of DMF resources highlights a systemic issue where funds meant for community rehabilitation and environmental restoration are being redirected to departmental expenditures with questionable relevance to the PMKKKY mandate.
