l Expert to analyze any project above Rs 5 crore l Projects will be cleared through single window after due deliberation l Govt ‘proposes to set up an Investment Promotion Board as nodal authority l Industries minister, tourism minister and information minister will be members of the board
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The Goa government on Wednesday cleared the Investment Policy, ‘after final corrections were made to the draft policy, with focus on non-polluting industries, IT and tourism,’ Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar announced.
‘The main crux of the policy is formation of an investment board. This is a statutory body. Within two to three weeks we will come out with an ordinance,” he said. “We will have an expert to analyze any project above Rs 5 crore. Any project less than Rs 5 crore will be handled by respective departments or ministers.”
“The Investment Board is headed by the chief minister, with deputy chief minister as co-chair, plus nine more members and will include the principal secretary, industries,” Parrikar said adding, “We have found lot of bottlenecks for projects and we have found investment is drying up… This will replace the HPCC.”
Any department representatives required to attend the meeting will be called.
The chief minister said that the board would provide for single window statutory clearance for all laws which are monitored and cleared by the state government. “We will assume all powers that the state has. For all statutory bodies, it will take comments and help and assist,” he said.
Projects will be cleared through single window after due deliberation. “Investment policy is only a guideline. It has to become an act. Before that it will be vetted,” the chief minister said.
The government ‘proposes to set up an Investment Promotion Board as the nodal authority for investments in Goa which meet any/all of the below criteria: Investment upwards of Rs 5 crore; area requirement equal to or above 3000 square meters; classified under the red or orange category as per Goa State Pollution Control Board guidelines.
The industries minister, tourism minister and information technology minister will be members of the Board. The board will meet on a fortnightly basis.
The CEO of the board is an industry professional, a Class I officer and member secretary. The CEO shall be selected by a committee which would comprise the principal secretary (Industries), and representatives selected from industry bodies/associations of Goa.
Speaking on availability of land and permission given the opposition faced by many development projects in the state, the chief minister said
that opposition for opposition sake is not acceptable. “I can understand for housing projects as this would change the demographics of the village,” adding, But for industrial projects. We will follow the law.” However, he later also said that villages can be taken into confidence.
“If we go via the new acquisition policy, then no land can be acquired. Except for khazan or agriculture, projects can come up on other lands,” the chief minister said, adding, that for orchard land he has to buy it directly from the owner. Also land is available with IDC, etc, and we are also trying to release SEZ lands.
