Team Herald
PANJIM: Goa Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) is likely to commence a fresh process to take possession of industrial plots that have been left unutilised or underutilised since allocation in 2014.
Since the introduction of IDC Allotment Regulations 2014 and IDC Transfer and Sublease Regulation 2014, the Corporation has allotted 140 new plots to small and micro industrial players for setting up units.
“We will be conducting a fresh survey to identify the plots that are left unutilised or underutilised by the owners since 2014. We would be coming out with a comprehensive plan to take over the vacant plots and re-allot them,” a senior official said.
As per the plot transfer regulations, it is mandatory for the person allocated the plot to utilise 30 percent of its area along with carrying out certain portion of production activities, before putting up papers for transfer.
An official said that since the government is keen on promoting Goa as an industrial destination, it has to solve the problem of land. “We have enough land in the industrial estate but it has been occupied and kept without use,” the official said.
The Comptroller Auditor General (CAG) has censured IDC for its failure to act against 146 defaulting plot allottees involving 6.37 lakh sq mtrs of land left unutilised or underutilised since 1989.
The CAG had exposed that IDC not only failed to repossess the plots from the defaulters but has also failed to levy penalty of 30 percent of the plot premium suffering a loss of around Rs 20.36 crore.
IDC, in 2013, had initiated a process to take over unutilised plots and had issued show cause notices to 142 plot owners. The Corporation since then had taken over possession of nearly 50 plots from the lessees.
