Fifty year old managing director of Ultratech Automobile Private Limited and the interim President of the Verna Industrial Association (VIA), Damodar Kochkar, was elected as president of VIA for a two-year term in the AGM held on Friday. Soon after getting elected he spoke to VIKANT SAHAY on the status of the Verna Industrial Estate.
HERALD: Do you think that objective for which this industrial estate had been set-up has been achieved?
Damodar Kochkar: Initially, this Industrial estate was named as Electronic City which had a luke warm response from industrialists in early 1990s. However, soon after the Government of Goa decided to allot plots to all industries adhering to clean environmental norms, there were many takers. Now we have over 300 working units here in the estate which has generated employment for at least 15,000 people. What concerns us is the poor infrastructure available in this estate.
HERALD: What are the major issues which concerns you all and industry in the estate?
DK: Earlier, the estate was not planned to be a full industrial estate, hence the infrastructure was and is still lacking till date. Water, electricity and land are the major issues here. The entire estate requires at least 10 mld (million litres per day) of water of which 5 mld of water should be treated. We get only one mld and the rest 9 mld is either acquired through bore wells or through water tankers. Most of the industries, especially pharmaceutical, beverage and processed food manufacturers had to set-up their own water treatment plant as norms for usage of quality water are very stringent.
Similarly, we have overhead wire for supply of electricity which time and again get damaged due to movement of heavy containers and hampers supply, which is critical for all units. We are requesting the government to lay an underground cable for supply of electricity. But, the government has not taken this suggestion very seriously.
HERALD: We understand that getting land in this estate is difficult. What measures is the government taking to sort this out?
DK: This is one of the largest industrial estates in Goa. Earlier, people used to get the land allotted and then sell it at a premium. Government did realise this and brought out ‘land transfer guidelines’ by which the government can re-acquire the allotted land which was not being utilised for the purpose it was allotted. This trend has now stopped after the guidelines were put into place. The government is now in the process of re-acquiring those ‘un-utilised land parcels’ from defunct units and is planning to pass it on to those who need it.
HERALD: What is the role of 12-member Investment Promotion Board which was set-up in October last year; is it of some help to you?
DK: Yes, it is working like a single window system and it is working fine both for the government as well as for the industry. The Board acts as a suggestion body and it does the project appraisal of all new entrants before forwarding it to the state government.
They do have a target of getting Rs 50,000 crore as investment and to create 25,000 jobs by this year end, but it looks highly unlikely. I also feel that just to achieve this target, the government should not dole out undue benefits to new entrants as it will disturb the balance of level playing field for the older establishments.
