SATURDAY, MAY 04, 2024
It is an industry that has cast a very big shadow over the entire state. Mining made the lives of many in the state but much more so th mining barons of Goa. When the Supreme Court stepped in and stopped mining it affected the barons and had a fallout effect on mining workers. The spillover effect hit mainly because Goa became a two pony economy
Now in an attempt to exert pressure on the government to restart mining, various panchayats have met with the Governor urging him to restart mining. To many, these agitations have the direct backing of the barons.
A man who has a ringside view of the workings of the economy Sandip Bhandare, immediate past President GCCI felt it was important that one industry could not take precedence over the other. He said “Mining is important of that there is no doubt but we have to look at manufacturing as well as Information Technology. We have to look 360 degrees. The husband may be in mining, the wife in manufacturing and the son has joined an IT startup. We have to manage this. For that to happen we need to also have a good education which will help us evolve as a civil society.
Meanwhile, the head of the Goa Foundation, who has championed the cause of the environment in Goa, Clause Alvares, who has been made the scapegoat for the mining shutdown by the mining big daddies felt the panchayats should meet the CM instead of the Governor. The CM he said should be asked why the auctions were not conducted and the simple answer was that he wanted the old mining companies to hang on to their leases. He said “These are tough times for everyone. One can look at agriculture seriously as an alternative. This year there has been a fifty percent uptake and more importantly, they are getting good prices for their crops. The people in the mine-affected areas can be rehabilitated but this government is so inefficient. In four months around Rs 4300 crores will come out of the mining companies due to the petitions filed in the high court and that can be used to help people with small businesses. A lot of people have returned from all over and it can help family businesses, vaddo businesses, etc.” The pandemic he said had made people innovate and come out and sell their produce in the market. The government he said had to recognise this initiative and help the people go forward.
Raj Kumar Kamat, Chapter Area Director BNI and Founder and Managing Director at EP Kamat Group felt this was the ideal time to diversify the economy. He said the dependency on mining and tourism had gone on for too long and it was now time to look at making the state a creative hub. He went on to say that under this hub there would be education, entertainment, and technology which could help generate quality good-paying jobs for the youth in the state.
But like everything, there will always be someone who thinks otherwise. Milind Prabhu CEO Genora Infotech felt the change would have to take time. He said “I have seen the suffering first hand caused by the ban on mining. Even if there are new opportunities created by new technology in the economy, these people will not be able to take advantage of it. They will have to be given time to adapt to the new situation on the ground. Many of them took loans for trucks and they will have to be given time to plan their exit strategy if necessary. None of them had a backup. New industries yes but give them time for sure.”
Prajyot Mainkar the man behind Androcid Media Pvt. Ltd felt it was time one looked at different avenues for generating jobs. New technology could lead to the way he felt. He said “We are a state with an agricultural background and that can marry technology. We could have horticulture, food processing for example. More than pure jobs creation we should look at economical growth which will mean more companies will emerge and then hire more people.” He felt the state should look at encouraging social entrepreneurship given the time when there was a surge in the number of people who were suffering trauma because of the prevailing circumstances.
Other entrepreneurs like Ricky Noronha, Director of Online Productivity Solutions was blunt when he said the solution for the future was mechanised agriculture which could be done in a centralised manner. He said “The government can hire our tractors and other mechanical instruments used for farming to people on an hourly basis and help boost the agricultural yield by two hundred percent. Everyone has land here and it should be used for agriculture”. Maybe it is a bridge too far but all ideas have to be explored because it is painfully obvious if Goa has to change its fortunes then a new way of looking at problems will have to happen.
