PANJIM: After granting permissions for nearly 40 projects with a total investment of Rs 2577 crore, the Investment Promotion Board (IPB) headed by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, is likely to freeze permissions for more new projects, at least for now. IPB is of the view that until the proposed project completes 50 percent of its ground work, no new investments should be allowed.
The IPB has also resolved to set up a monitoring mechanism, post appointment of a CEO, to ensure that the new units are set up in time bound manner and the expansion units also speed up their work. IPB and Goa Industries Development Corporation (GIDC) will jointly monitor whether the plots allotted to these units are utilized within time frame.
A senior official said that on an average, the new units require at least a year’s time to have all the required infrastructure like water, power, road, etc, in place. “GIDC has already allotted few plots to the new units, while it is in process of more allocation,” official said adding ‘by this year end, most of the units, expansion and those with smaller investment would be feasibly ready for operation’.
“Till the time the proposed projects don’t take partial shape, IPB may not grant more permission to the new projects. May be some small expansion to the existing units may be granted,” official said.
The official admitted that at present IPB has no mechanism in place to verify the ground progress of all these projects. “But GIDC has the mechanism. As per GIDC’s allotment regulations, the units are granted particular time period to utilize the plot allotted to them,” official explained.
IPB till date had total of five meetings with first one being held on December 22, 2014. Of the total 40 projects, only 14 are new projects which include two marinas, a five star resort, football academy, eco-tourism projects and pharma industry.“All these industrial projects are under green and orange category. IPB doesn’t give permissions to projects under red category nor any projects in khazan land and on areas under Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ),” official said.
Of the total proposed projects, there are total six projects that require conversion NOCs from Town and Country Planning (TCP). The conversion is basically from orchard to industrial zone and eco-tourism zone.
