Team Herald
PANJIM: Even as the State government struggles to finalise the land to set up a permanent campus for IIT Goa, Quepem Congress MLA Altone D’Costa proposed that over eight lakh sq mtrs of land at Quitol in Quepem taluka, which was acquired by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) for the purpose of setting up a food park, could be used for the Central institute instead.
D’Costa brought to the notice of the House that of the total 12 lakh sq mtrs of land available at Quitol, eight lakh sq mtrs have been notified for food park purposes and another four lakh sq mtrs was proposed for setting up auxiliary services for the park.
“It’s been several years now since the land was acquired, however no steps were taken to set up the food park or any other project,” he said.
The MLA said that the land was put to use only once, during the Defence Expo held in 2016. “I have now come to know that the government intends to transfer the land to some other department,” he said.
D’Costa proposed that the IIT Goa campus can be set up on the land as the same is already in the government’s possession.
To this, Industries Minister Mauvin Godinho said that the government has no problem with the idea but the MLA will have to assure that there will be no opposition at a local level. “We know what has happened every time we decide to go ahead with the project. Will the MLA give us assurance that there will be no opposition?” questioned the Minister.
