Team Herald
PANJIM: Terming it “directionless” and “expensive”, the Goa Forward Party (GFP) on Wednesday demanded that the Goa State Tourism Policy 2020 be denotified immediately, which was notified last week.
Addressing media persons, GFP vice president Dilip Prabhudesai said the policy offers nothing new and was notified hurriedly, despite displeasure expressed by the stakeholders.
He alleged that there is hidden agenda and vested interest involved in preparing the policy. He said that the intent of the Policy was not to help the people of Goa and stakeholders, but vested interests.
“We demand that the policy be denotified immediately,” he demanded.
Prabhudesai alleged that the State government paid Rs 5 crore to the KPMG agency to prepare 12-page policy, containing 50,801 words.
“If we break down the cost per word is Rs 8,619,” he charged.
He said that the policy is directionless and silent on the key tourism issues. He said major stakeholders such as the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) had already expressed their dissatisfaction about the policy and the over the composition of the Goa Tourism Board, headed by Minister for Tourism.
