The State government’s recent decision to simplify the single window clearance process for land allotment and investors is a welcome step in boosting industrial investment, especially at a time when there was visible hesitancy among big players to set shop in Goa. Organising an investment summit in the State, and giving industry status to logistic warehouses and the Information Technology industry are positive steps.
The initiatives to promote industrial investment came in for praise from several industry heads present at a meeting called by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant ahead of the budget session scheduled in early February. GCCI President Srinivas Dempo lauded the CM for his leadership and reforms while others sounded positive on the steps taken. However, what caught the eye was a comment from Damodar Kochkar, former president of the Goa State Industries Association, a fierce critic of the Sawant government's policies.
Kochkar seems to have now mellowed down and in a virtual endorsement of policies has backed Goan youth saying they can deliver when put to the test and hence needed to be given priority. His paradigm shift towards the government and Goan youth speaks volumes of the ‘ease of doing business’ story that Sawant has been consistently narrating. The only drawback is that nobody seems to have dived deep to understand the weight of socio-economic obligations that is pulling down the Goan employee.
Kochkar, during his tenure as the GSIA president had come down heavily on the government for its failure on ‘ease of doing business’ and on several occasions blamed Sawant for “making life miserable for entrepreneurs”. It may be recalled that he had slammed Revenue Minister Atanasio alias Babush Monserrate last year over his announcement to hike minimum wages. This time, however, Kochkar is rooting for Goa's ease of doing business story and also pitching for local employment.
While the intent is clear, stakeholders fail to understand that the Goan workforce also comes with social and family obligations along with work responsibilities due to which their lifestyles and workstyles become incomparable. There is a standard comparison between the productivity of the local workforce and migrants, without considering the many inherent factors that separate both categories of employees.
The need here is to look at parameters which work against the local workforce and bring about policies seamlessly integrating the Goan character into their job profiles. It will not only encourage youth to take up private jobs but will be a huge booster for employment, an area where the State has been consistently struggling.
If the government has to bring in reforms like job reservations to Goans in industry, just as Kochkar suggested, it has to be done after carefully considering the circumstances, accepting the downsides and backing locals to the hilt.
There is no denying that the government is making steady progress in its policy of ease of doing business which is aimed at mopping up more investments in the industrial sector and creating job opportunities. However, these positives have not yielded significant results and Goans still look beyond the State for their bread and butter, and it would be premature to conclude that the ease of doing business mantra is yielding results.
In this air of positivity over the industrial space that is building up lately, we hope the Goan finds its feet and gets counted soon.
