TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Touting Goa as an investor-friendly State, particularly after the recent implementation of the Goa Investment Policy 2014, the government has invited foreign businesses to invest in Goa.
Addressing business persons and investors from various States and countries at the ‘Goa Investment Summit 2015 – A Prelude’ on Friday, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar spoke of the different strides adopted by the government to make the State an attractive investment destination with high class infrastructure and skilled labour.
“We received a tremendous set back in the year 2012 due to the blanket ban on iron ore extraction and transportation. However, we have managed to strike a balance between development needs and environmental concerns for sustained growth of our economy and have been taking necessary steps to recommence mining activity in the State,” he said.
He said that despite the ban on mining operations – once the top revenue earner for the State – the economy continues to grow and remain investor friendly.
In an attempt to impress the potential investors at the meet, Parsekar bragged about Goa recently being awarded as the Best Competitive State for business in the country. “The credit goes to the enlightened and cultured manpower, human resources, huge natural resources, progressive policies of the government, pollution free environment, captivating scenic beauty,” he said.
The Chief Minister pointed out to the government’s ‘conscious decision’ to adopt the Goa Investment Policy 2014 with an objective of creating 50,000 jobs and encouraging investment of Rs 25,000 crore by providing high quality logistic infrastructure to all industries.
“Pursuant to adoption of the policy, we enacted the Goa Investment Promotion Act 2014 under which the Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board has been set up,” he said. He also mentioned that the government will synergize efforts with the ‘Make In India’ campaign in a big way through the investment friendly policy and the facilitation board.
He went on to convey to the attending business groups that to further improve the quality of life, the State is laying emphasis on ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’ to ensure that the fruits of development percolate down the strata to the less privileged and vulnerable sections of the society.
Speaking about the various initiatives to attract investments, Parsekar highlighted the thrust areas as being knowledge based industries such as pharmaceuticals, bio-technology, integrated educational hubs, and tourism, light engineering, aviation, aero space and defence, information technology, hardware and electronics, agro-based and food processing industries.
In another effort to make Goa an aspiration and preferred place for business, the Chief Minister revealed that the Facilitation Board has already granted its approval in principle to eight applications with Rs 600-crore investment, which will generate direct employment to about 1800 persons. Besides, clearances to six other applicants for expansion and modernizing existing units have also been granted, he said.
He also referred to the decision to establish an electronic manufacturing cluster at Tuem in Pernem, a separate IT park at Chimbel and undertaking the Greenfield Airport at Mopa, construction of which will commence by December this year and the first phase expected to commission by December 2018. The new airport, he said will have provisions of cargo facilities, aviation training institute, maintenance and repair services, as per the Civil Aviation Policy. “We intend to create an international aircraft hub,” he said, as he invited the business community for a full-fledged investment summit scheduled in November this year.
