PANAJI
The purpose of earmarking parcels of land to industrial investors is seemingly going abbegging with over 60 per cent of the allotted plots in Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) run industrial estates are either still vacant or devoid of any industrial activity.
Of the 146 plots allotted by GIDC, no industrial activity has commenced in as many as 90 of these.
According to the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, which was placed on the table of the Goa legislative assembly, the GIDC should initiate action against those allottees who have not utilised the land given to them for industrial activity.
On some plots there has been some construction but actual industrial activity has not started, the CAG report noted.
A total 5.98 lakh square meters of land belonging to the GIDC has been unutilised of which around 1.93 lakh square meters has been allotted in last 10 to 30 years. A total of 244 plots which were allotted between 1989 and 2009 are not utilised, the CAG said.
The State government had appointed a task force in November 2011 to survey and identify such idle squatters on GIDC allotted industrial plots which found around 146 plots vacant then.
After the report of this task force, another sub-committee was named in 2013 to suggest action to be taken in that regard but no results have come from it.
Meanwhile, of the 56 plots which are utilised too there is actual industrial activity in only 36 with actual working industries while the balance 20 plots only have built up area and no activity, according to the report.
