Bryce D’Souza
As we are now in the peak of the tourist season widespread all year round, I wanted to examine a concept not given much emphasis by the daily reads and news channels across the state. It is an area that if we focus our attention, can help foster the overall empowerment of Goa as a state. I cannot help but mention it as we are reeling through the so-called Delhi-phication phenomenon that has come to ruin the entire social and cultural fabric of our society that was bound for centuries since the Portuguese rule. With all due respect - I would like to examine my concept of Goanisation in this short written piece.
Goanisation is a term I wish to describe as a long-term strategy aimed at increasing the overall employment of local Goans across all sectors of the state's economy. It seeks to encourage and foster their participation through concerted efforts and initiatives aimed at bringing back their voice and a feeling of patriotism and belongingness towards the state.
As the reality stands today - the labour force participation rate has plummeted to 39% according to the recent Periodic Labour Force Survey 2023-24. Additionally, the unemployment rate has pivoted to 8.7% exceeding the nation's average rate - 4.5%.
This is indeed shocking considering that Goa is one of the top destinations in India attracting tourists all year round. These figures sound an alarm bell on the pertinent realities evident at the grassroot levels.
Today, a lot of jobs - be it in the private or public sector are held by non-Goans hailing from various parts of the country. More so, the booming real estate market has even found its way into the hands of the Delhites who have left no stone unturned to capture and amass all the old Portuguese-era houses, while our Goans remain fighting over shares in properties for years apart. All of this has triggered the mass influx of outbound migration of locals to overseas European countries given the absence of incentives for career growth and job prospects.
In the midst of this turmoil, Goanisation is a solution that can reap fruitful benefits for the society in the long term. Taking inspiration from similar initiatives in the UAE and Oman such as Emiratization and Omanisation - the government of Goa could take the lead to implement a policy which demands that atleast 80% of the workforce in both the private and the public sector is held by Goans with stringent penalties imposed for non-compliance. Additionally, attractive increment packages can be introduced to increase the Goan presence across both private and public sectors.
While the effects of the policy may not be seen immediately, it is worth noting that with the active participation and involvement of the local population, the cultural and social fabric of the state could be restored, further enabling Goa to attract tourists not just exponentially but quality specifically - thus restoring Goa's image overall as an ecotourism destination. In this way, by increasing the participation of local citizens over the course of time, we can further pave the way for a much ‘culturally civilised’ society and thus a much better economy.