TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The State government has agreed to take more experts from tourism on its committee to facilitate the selection of the world class consultant for preparing Goa’s Tourism Master Plan.
On Monday, the tourism ministry accepted an Opposition suggestion to take tour operators, charter operators and members of the travel and tourism association on its committee as they will help not only in the selection of the consultant but also help the consultant in the formulation of the tourism master plan through recommendations and suggestions.
The tourism ministry also agreed to a suggestion that the terms of reference prepared for the consultant on the basis of which the tourism master plan would revolve should also be furnished to all members of the Goa Assembly so as to enable them to submit their views and suggestions to the consultant when the process for the preparation of the master plan begins.
The much anticipated tourism master plan for Goa was Monday discussed in the Goa Assembly with mixed reactions, from the MLAs mostly those in the Opposition, over the scope of work envisaged in the preparation of the Plan.
While Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte, was critical over the preparation of the Plan for five decades, Opposition leader Pratapsing Rane suggested that the Plan should cater to the State’s requirements for at least 15 years.
The tourism minister Dilip Parulekar later pegged the same for 25 years stating that the previous Plan which was prepared in 2001 was for 10 years only.
Parulekar was quizzed during Question Hour over the on-going process for selection of a consultant for the preparation of the tourism master plan.
The was issue raised by Khaunte who said, “The present tender document seems to be asking for the same information which was asked for in the preparation of the master pan way back in 2001.”
Khaunte further said that since the government was now thinking for a long term vision document for tourism that there was need for changing the present scope of work mentioned in the tender.
In his opinion there was no difference in the tender document of 2001 and 2013.
He also said, “Will you ensure that the tourism promotion board is also set up so that you get what you want from the master plan and policy.”
Khaunte tried to make a point that the government was not sure what it really wanted from the Master Plan as it was stressing on issues already dealt with in the past and needed State level experts to be roped in to help out in the process as well.
The chief minister however intervened that to get key consultants on the committee would also require floating tenders and said that the present eight member committee had representation from the TTAG and GCCI in addition to key officials in the tourism ministry.
However Opposition Leader Pratapsing Rane said that except for tourism director Nikhil Desai he wasn’t sure whether the rest were experts on the subject. He sought to know as to how a chartered accountant on the selection committee would help in any way.
In reply Parulekar said, “Since there are financial issues involved there is representation from an accountant.” To which Rane said that people working in Goa in tourism should be put on the committee.
Parulekar again told the House that 18 companies have bid for preparing Goa’s Tourism Master Plan and one would be selected by the committee shortly. The Master Plan for Tourism would take at least 15 to 18 months for completion.
