In a move aimed at assessing the extent of job creation by industries in Goa, the state government has directed the Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) to initiate a comprehensive survey of employment numbers across all industrial units, both inside and outside industrial estates. The data collection drive will for the first time document the number of workers employed by each unit, with a detailed breakdown of permanent, contractual and daily wage staff, as well as their Goan or non-Goan status.
The exercise comes amid growing concerns over the private sector’s lacklustre record in generating employment for locals. Official figures tabled in the state legislative assembly earlier showed that from 2019 to 2023, private firms hired only 1,184 candidates through the employment exchange mechanism, despite Goa’s status as a pharma hub and its large base of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
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To facilitate the survey, GIDC will coordinate with industrial inspectors and staff from the Directorate of Industries, Trade and Commerce. The aim is to produce accurate data on the composition of the workforce in each industrial estate and assess the actual implementation of local employment commitments by private companies.
While the government policy stipulates that preference should be given to companies offering at least 80% of jobs to Goans when industrial projects are approved and units employing more than 60% locals are also eligible for state incentives, the reality is that enforcement of such policies has been inconsistent.
For instance, a job fair organised by the Labour and Employment Department in 2022 saw 21,780 candidates register, but only 940 received job offers.
Even though the Employment Exchange (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act, 1959 is applicable to private industries in Goa, compliance has remained low. Between January 2023 and July 2024, 1,407 companies notified job openings, but just 582 applicants secured placements. Amendments to the Act were introduced in March this year, increasing penalties for non-compliance in a bid to tighten oversight.
