Team Herald
PANJIM: Goa IT Professionals (GITP)on Saturday urged the government to invest the money in the future of Goa by improving connectivity in the State and setting up the long overdue single-window system for investment so that jobs are created and people earn a respectable living.
In a strongly-worded letter to the State government, GITP said while every government in the world is exercising restraint on expenditure, it is disheartening to see crores of rupees earmarked for projects such as facelift of the State Assembly, construction of memorials, Raj Bhavan, convention centres, panchayat ghars, etc.
“These surely cannot be the priorities in this difficult time. The entrepreneurs and businesses in the State are reeling under extreme pressures to survive through the pandemic induced crisis. Lack of basic infrastructure such as connectivity and power is making matters worse for technology dependent businesses. Goa continues to rank behind in ease of doing business for lack of a single-window system,” GITP stated in the letter to the State government which includes Chief Minister and Chief Secretary’s office.
It said the academic systems in the State are on the verge of crumbling down as the State, despite being one of the early starters in setting up IT and connectivity infrastructures and spending crores on doing it, has failed miserably to provide a viable online alternative to physical teaching and learning systems.
“Industries are closing down or retrenching staff. Tourism sector and all other allied industries have taken a big hit. Roads and transport systems in the State are in very bad shape. Common man is struggling to survive the pandemic and is desperately looking for alternatives. On this backdrop, the least that can be expected from the government is judicious spending of the exchequers’ money by setting the priorities right,” GITP lamented.
