As per the much publicized industrial policies of earlier governments in the state, every Industry that sought permission to set up its shops in the state had to file a declaration stating that 80 to 90 percent jobs will be reserved for Goans along with other statutory statistics. Today in Goa we see in every industrial estate or any major industry, lakhs of migrants are employed on the pretext that Goans are not available for the type of available jobs. The hotels industry especially feels that Goan youth is not suitable for the tourism industry for the simple reason that being a local he takes frequent offs / leaves for religious and cultural functions.
The influx of migrant population has not only put pressure on the basic infrastructure of power, water, hygiene and roads but has made even housing unaffordable for the locals. In the name of industrialization and tourism ,the communidade land which is a very scarce asset of the community is acquired and handed over for a song to the private businessmen in the name of tourism and industrialization. This land belongs to the local community for use for their housing, agricultural requirements and for the use of future generations.
It is also alleged that Goans prefer to migrate from the state to foreign shores and are not interested to take up jobs in the state. Though it is fact that lakhs of Goans have migrated for better prospects and bring in crores of rupees in foreign exchange and improved the economic standards of their families, the government before welcoming new industries or new hotels must analyze why the local youth is not interested in taking up jobs generated in the state and try to address these issues sincerely, honestly and earnestly before new ventures are allowed to set up.
Some of the factors for this sorry state may be: Very low salaries and high cost of living, Goa being a tourist destination. Minimum wage bill in any company should be at least 5 percent of its gross profits and evenly distributed among all kinds of workmen considering the inflation. Long inordinate delays in resolving labour disputes is another major cause. Failure of law enforcing agencies to implement the existing laws and failure to take actions on defaulting companies for practicing unfair labour practices at work places also discourages the youth to organize themselves and be in goa.
Every government has miserably failed to collect and analyse this statistics to check whether the law of reservation of jobs for local is implemented in the existing companies and has taken corrective measures for the failures of the law. Every business establishment operating in the state should be mandated to display and publish the required statutory statistics regularly on media or their notice boards for the information of the workmen and general public and also furnish the same on a regular basis to the government which should be analysed regularly and action taken to remedy the situation.
The Labour and Industry department should be made answerable, accountable and held responsible.
