TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The task force which drafted Goa Industrial-Investment Policy 2013-18, aims to attract Rs 25,000 crore investment within the next five years, and provide jobs to 50,000 people in the State.
The first draft of the policy would be submitted by next week to the State government.
Addressing a press conference on Wednesday evening, the task force Chairman Atul Pai Kane said that the vision of the draft policy is to make Goa an aspirational destination for investment for high-end manufacturing and R&D sector and the best in class tourism, education and healthcare industry while improving the environmental and social indicators of the state.
“The main thrust of the policy is to create sustainable employment for locals and generate revenue for the state,” he said, adding, “The first draft would be submitted to government by next week,” he said.
The Government had announced that it would come out with new investment policy by May 31.
The main objective of the draft policy is to attract investment worth Rs 25,000 crore and 50,000 jobs for the locals in next five years. Kane said that the policy also stress on providing 24×7 high-quality power supply and quality core infrastructure to industries along with high quality logistics and infrastructure.
“The policy will focus on environmentally conscious, job-creation and sustainable and profitable industries,” he clarified, adding that inputs from the industrial polices of different successful States and countries was taken before drafting the policy.
The draft policy recommends that the State government should give incentives to the industries based on employment and revenue generation their potential. Kane said 80 per cent of the employment should be given for locals.
The chairman clarified that no special incentives would be offered to industries for investment.
“We would provide them the best infrastructure and other necessary facilities for investment. We will create a transparent, seamless and pro-active governance structure,” he stated.
The policy makers have given main thrust on secondary and tertiary based industries like knowledge based industry, pharma, research and development, tourism and food processing, information technology, light engineering and integrated educational.
“The whole idea is to make sure that cultural identity of Goa is not changed,” he said.
Insisting for the equal distribution of industries across the State, the task force has also recommended that special incentives should be given for those industries which are ready to set up their base in the hinterland and remote talukas of the State.
Kane said that the policy will also make the existing industries competitive. “The incentives will also be worked out for expansion of the existing industries thereby making them more competitive, which would make entrepreneurs invest more,” he added.
