They stated that Betul was a small village, and hence, it was inappropriate to give such a vast area for projects that do not generate employment for locals.
They further claimed that Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) possessed around 12 lakh sq mts land, out of which only 10 percent was being used. The rest of the land could be used for the defence expo and air show. They questioned why the government and Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) wanted land in Betul when they could get the same from ONGC.
Congress MLA Chandrakant Kavlekar had raised the issue at the Assembly. He asked the government to provide industries that would generate employment for the local youth. He added that he was not against the “national interest” project, but Quepem was facing an unemployment problem. He said, “The local youth want jobs, which projects like the defence expo will not be able to provide. ONGC has not even employed a single local person. We are also not aware what exactly is going to come to Betul plateau. GIDC must explain this to the locals, who are hopeful that government will consider their demand to shift the defence expo project to the ONGC land.”
The erstwhile Congress state government had acquired around 8 lakh sq mts of land at Betul, Quepem for a food park project. Kavlekar – the then GIDC chairman – was instrumental in acquiring that land. The project eventually ended up in cold storage, and now, the BJP State government, through GIDC, has decided to hand over 6 lakh sq mts of land to the Defence Ministry for the defence expo and air show. Locals have questioned how the government could give away land that was acquired to set up industries that would create employment for the local youth.
