Team Herald

PANJIM: Stating that the Investment Promotion Board (IPB) will act as a ‘postman’ in cases where it has no jurisdiction to decide on, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday said the powers to decide on proposals involving Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) areas vest with the State government. 

IPB had recently withdrawn the in-principle permission granted to 17 investment proposals, including Goa Tourism Development Corporation’s ropeway project connecting Panjim to Reis Magos, which were in CRZ areas. 

IPB will now categorise the proposals it receives, into two, those in which the power to take decisions will be vested with the Board and those that will be decided by the Government. 

Parrikar said that IPB had “invariably, not purposefully, without understanding Coastal Regulation Zone rule, crossed the limit and granted in principle approvals.”

“We took legal advice and we were told that as per Section 8 of the Act, the areas like CRZ, other than the shore facilities cannot be dealt by IPB,” he said, justifying the board’s decision to withdraw the permissions granted.

Parrikar, who is chairman of the IPB, said that the decision on those 17 proposals will be taken by the government on a case-to-case basis.

The Chief Minister said that IPB will remain a single window for investment proposals but they (proposals) would be classified into two categories in future. “The proposals which cannot be decided by IPB would be analysed by the consultancy firm which has been on board and will send it to the State government without any recommendation,” he said.

“IPB will act as postman in such cases. It will submit the report prepared by the Consultant to the Government for decision. The role of IPB is only as postman, where it will convey the decision of the government to the project proponent,” he explained.