Industry blames Parrikar for bad governance
PTI, PANAJI | 13 April 2013 22:32 IST
The industry players of Goa today came down heavily on non-governance of the BJP government, alleging that nobody, except chief minister Manohar Parrikar, takes a single industry-related decision.
The occasion was a seminar organised jointly by the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Goa government’s Economic Development Corporation on ‘Industrial Growth through Investment Policy’.
Nitin Kunkolienkar, former president of the GCCI, said the situation has led to stagnation of industrial growth in the state.
“There is no one to take decision about industry and investment in the state except Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar,” said Kunkolienkar.
“We have Commissioner for NRIs of Goa but no Commissioner for Businesses. Goa needs an Ambassador for Industries,” he said.
He openly criticised the bureaucracy, stating it is busy buttering the politicians.
“The industries secretary hardly visits any industrial estates and Industrial Development Corporation has also been reduced to a useless entity,” he commented
The IDC officials are seen loitering in the Secretariat under the pretext of meetings. But these meetings do not reflect in change of systems,” the former GCCI Chief added.
Kunkolienkar also blamed his fraternity for “unfortunately, not raising their voice against this.”
Economist Manoj Kamat also joined the chorus, stating the investment scenario is poor because of the lack of interest on the part of state bureaucracy.
In the year 2011-12 there were 400 proposals for industrial investment worth Rs 600 crore, of which only 67 materialised bringing in Rs 37 crore, he said.
Kamat said that High Powered Coordination Committee (HPCC) could also clear only five proposals out of 21 placed before it.
Providing the figures, he said that the state has 7505 small scale industries, 21 medium industries and 189 large scale industries, which employ only 50,000 people.
“This is because of the unplanned industrialization,” Kamat added.
He also observed that the industrial estates in the five talukas have less than five percent of industries in it.
Kamat said that the investment policy planned by Goa government should give different incentives for the industries based on locations.
Binayak Dutta, Vice President of Zuari Industries Limited, a fertilizer manufacturing plant, said that industrialists are happy over the industrial scenario but they expect it to be better.
Nitin Kunkolienkar, a politician of first order (at least he pretends so!), always takes his axe to grind against ruling government in public but behind the curtain he is always seen BUTTERING ruling party. Hence his voice (including his present saying) is always shown a ash tray by sensible Goan!