FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 2024
The six-month extension given to Goa Start-up Policy 2017 in September 2020 ends on February 26, 2021. The IT Department is in the process of coming up with a revamped policy. Keeping this in view, the Goa IT Professionals (GITP) has written a eight page letter to the Chief Minister earlier this month giving its recommendations on how to improve upon the earlier policy.
“The snail’s pace followed in providing promised benefits in Start-up Policy to start-ups and registration of new start-ups, was further derailed due to the lapse of the policy in September last year. The department had announced that they will come up with a new revamped policy that will address regulatory bottlenecks and enhance funding avenues for start-ups. The draft of the new Goa Start-up Policy 2020 was to be uploaded on the Goa Online Portal to gather further inputs from stakeholders. An announcement to this effect was made way back in July 2020. But, things have hardly moved forward on this front. With no new start-up policy on the anvil so far, the government should at least finish the process of giving yet another extension to the policy in time so that there is no action replay,” said Sangeeta Naik, an IT Professional.
GITP feels that despite Goa being continuously ruled by BJP since 2012, barely any meaningful progress has been made in promotion of the green and locally sustainable IT industry in Goa leading to continuation of mass brain drain of Goa’s educated and skilled human capital leaving behind elderly parents fending for themselves, broken families and ghost houses.
“This reflects poorly on the current government’s performance record with barely two years to the next State assembly elections. We hope our government will make up for the lost time and get the action points implemented on a war footing,” said a senior member from the GITP.
Gurudev Naik the founder member and GITP President, feels that the government need to implement the IT policy on the highest priority.
“IT anywhere concept is still on paper after years now. IT stakeholders, engineers and students are still facing network issue all over Goa. Here, single approval system needs to be implemented for network towers. Start-ups are also struggling to survive here in Goa with no proper support seen from administration. GITP are working from last many years to help government to setup IT industry in Goa but the government is still on same page. Last month our core committee met the Chief Minister with new suggestions for improvement. The people of Goan origin need to come back to Goa but for that we need to create jobs,” said Naik.
The Information Technology (IT) Industry employs youth from multiple education streams and generates well paid mass employment resulting in overall prosperity of a region. “This is severely lacking in Goa due to several challenges. We have listed solutions in our memorandum to the State government which we have been propounding since 2012,” added Naik.
Vice president of GITP Vincent Toscano was upfront while saying, “For eight consecutive years of the same party ruling Goa, despite having great Central government support, is on the brink of being declared a failure for doing nearly nothing to promote locally sustainable IT-enabled livelihood in Goa.”
He went on to say that even with e-governance, many government functions are not efficient due to badly implemented systems. A job that should have taken 10 minutes takes three hours causing inconvenience to people. Also, processes that could have easily been made online are still treated offline.
Yash Ghante, vice president GITP believes that, “Right from school days, children should be guided to judiciously and effectively use computing devices for creative activities such as developing programs. This will build a mindset of innovation among the younger generation.”
Anay Kamat, GITP’s core committee member said, “Kids cannot learn until they explore by building things themselves. Low cost and maintainable computing systems are must for schools. Also, just get the existing IT policy implemented properly and get those mobile towers installed. To start with, let at least this happen.”
Maria D'Souza GITP’s core committee member stressed on introducing ‘Computational Thinking’ curriculum for all schools in Goa and also make their laboratories functional.
The GITP has also suggested to the State government that with constant follow ups, visit the companies in other states to make presentations showcasing Goa as a business destination will help Goa.
“Several individuals with Goan descent hold top positions in reputed firms. The emotional bond can play a major role in the decision to set shop in Goa. GITP has provided a list to the Government in the past. Goa deserves to be re-branded 60 years after its liberation such that the world notices Goa as a serious destination where modern business can be done with fun,” said GITP in the memorandum to the Chief Minister.
