Locals, Goans to get preference for Mopa jobs… but GMR free to employ others

Parrikar in 2012 and Parsekar in 2016 had promised jobs for locals and Goans but there is no obligation in the concessionaire agreement for GMR to train local youth in aviation sector

Published on:

02 Jul 2017, 12:54 am

SURAJ NANDREKAR

suraj@herald-goa.com

PANJIM: Contrary to promises made by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in 2012 and Laxmikant Parsekar in 2016, the Mopa concessionaire agreement does not completely guarantee jobs for locals or Goans.

While the agreement says locals and Goans should be given preference, it goes on to say that the promoter is not restricted from employing anyone else.

On November 8, 2016, the State government signed a concessionaire agreement with GMR Goa International Airport Ltd, copy of the agreement, availed under RTI, tells a different story.

Leave alone training local youth, the concessionaire agreement does not even make it obligatory for GMR to train local youth as promised by the former chief minister.

Para 5.8, Obligation relating to employment of trained personnel, states, “The concessionaire shall ensure that the personnel engaged by it in the performance of its obligations under this agreement see at all times properly trained for their respective function.” Here there is no mention of mandatory training of local youth by concessionaire.

Further, para 5.9 Obligation relating to employment of people of Goa and displaced family states, “The concessionaire agrees and undertakes to give preference to bonafide Goans for all its jobs in the airport and advertise all job vacancies in the airport in at least three dailies having wide circulation in Goa.”

It further goes on to say, “Notwithstanding anything in the contrary contained in this agreement, the concessionaire shall give employment to one person from each displaced family in accordance with the applicable law.”

However, the catch is further, where it says that if there are no available personnel the concessionaire will not be restricted from employing non-Goans. “For the avoidance of doubt, in the event enough applications are not received from the displaced families or bonafide Goans, the concessionaire shall not be restricted from hiring any other person,” it states.

Herald spoke to the top bureaucrat who said that work in this regard is on. “The promoter GMR is bound to train the local youth as per agreement and things are moving on,” he said.

But when pointed out that there is no such obligation, he refused to comment further. “Last I knew was the government had announced such a programme but till date nothing has materialised,” he said.

What Parrikar had said

On December 27, 2012, at Mapusa, the then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had said that Pernem citizens will be given first preference in job opportunities created by the Greenfield Mopa airport project.

“The government will keep its word and provide jobs to the people from Pernem taluka on a priority basis in the job opportunities created by the project,” Parrikar had said, adding, “People will get jobs on flights or at the airport, I can assure you that.”

Parsekar’s promise

Four years later, on August 8, 2016, former Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar in a written reply tabled on the floor of the House, had said, “In order to provide employment opportunities to youths and locals at the upcoming Greenfield airport, it is proposed to establish an Aviation Skill Development Centre.”

“It is an obligation on part of the concessionaire to train the youth at the Industrial Training Institute to provide employment at the airport. Necessary clause has been inserted for the purpose in the Draft Concession Agreement for the same,” he had said.

THE PROMISES

December 27, 2012: Then CM Manohar Parrikar, “The government will keep its word and provide jobs to the people from Pernem taluka on a priority basis in the job opportunities created by the project. People will get jobs on flights or at the airport, I can assure you that.”

August 8, 2016: Then CM Laxmikant Parsekar, “It is an obligation on part of the concessionaire to train the youth at the Industrial Training Institute to provide employment at the airport. Necessary clause has been inserted for the purpose in the Draft Concession Agreement for the same.”

THE REALITY

Para 5.8, Obligation relating to employment of trained personnel: The concessionaire shall ensure that the personnel engaged by it in the performance of its obligations under this agreement see at all times properly trained for their respective function.

Para 5.9, Obligation relating to employment of people of Goa and displaced family: The concessionaire agrees and undertakes to give preference to bonafide Goans for all its jobs in the airport and advertise all job vacancies in the airport in at least three dailies having wide circulation in Goa. ...the concessionaire shall give employment to one person from each displaced family in accordance with the applicable law.”