Government to resolve granite industry issues, says Minister Kollu Ravindra

The State government will extend full support to the granite cutting and polishing industry and resolve its long-pending issues, Mines and Geology Minister Kollu Ravindra said on Tuesday.

Speaking after a meeting with representatives of the Granite Cutting and Polishing Units Associations from the erstwhile Guntur and Prakasam districts, the Minister said a committee comprising all stakeholders had been formed to address the industry’s concerns.

Mr. Ravindra assured that the government would take a positive decision on the seigniorage payment issue without causing losses either to the State or to the industry.

The meeting, held at the Secretariat in Amaravati, was attended by Ministers Gottipati Ravi Kumar and Dola Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy, and MLAs Eluri Sambasiva Rao and B.N. Vijay Kumar. Industry representatives explained that the practice of charging uniform seigniorage for all grades of raw material was causing financial strain to the units and sought a more practical solution. Mr. Ravindra appealed to factory owners to call off their strike immediately, pointing out that prolonged shutdowns were affecting thousands of dependent workers.

To address key concerns, the government has constituted a committee with officials from the Mining Department, district DMGOs, seigniorage collection agencies, and two members from each association. The committee will hold consultations with stakeholders and submit its report within a week, the Minister added.