Team Herald
VASCO: Asking industries to follow give-and-take policy, Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai on Friday agreed to provide relaxation in certain rules for the private industry, with the pre-condition that industries should employ locals.
He was speaking as the chief guest during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Verna Industries Association (VIA) at Hotel Kesarval, Verna.
“We know VIA and Verna IDC is a golden goose and we are not fools to kill the golden goose. We want VIA to keep laying eggs, and it is our duty to see that you (industries) all have minimum problems. But at the same time we also have problem, which is employment. Our entire interest in supporting the industries is to eliminate the problem of employment’, he said, adding “There have been accusations against us that Goans have been using Portuguese passport and migrating. We should be able to provide employment within the State for the youths to prevent the exodus.”
“Industries are engines of growth for the economy that has to be given a boost, we understand the importance to it. In the building regulations industries have been promised that Floor Area Ratio (FAR) and coverage will be increased to 1.5 across the board and 2 FAR in the IT sector. I am willing to take it still further because I am aware that there is shortage of land and industries need to grow vertically. I as TCP minister would like to increase FAR in the building regulations from 1.5 to 2 for all the industries across the board and this will solve your expansion issues, but this comes with a condition that Goans should find employment here, because if it does not benefit the state, then why should I give your something,” he said.
It is the duty of the industry to help us to solve unemployment problem, he added.
Taking a dig at a Verna-based pharmaceutical company for advertising job vacancy in the neighboring state, he said, he had no issues against Cipla, but when a multinational comes to the State, the ethos of the State has to be respected.
