Panaji: Leader of the Opposition, Yuri Alemao, accused the BJP government of using the idea of an educational hub as a cover for business and land deals. Alemao said the government is more focused on profiting from land deals than creating educational opportunities for Goan youth.
Alemao criticized the government for giving communidade lands to private universities, claiming that despite this, local youth are not getting jobs in these institutions. He also alleged that the Goa government is engaging in brokerage by leasing large plots of land to private universities to make money. He compared this to the land deals surrounding Zuari Agro Chemicals, which he described as a multi-crore scam. According to Alemao, the same strategy is now being applied across the state.
Alemao specifically mentioned that thousands of square meters of land belonging to the Captain of Ports in Britona have been leased to Ganpat University from Gujarat. He also pointed out that residents of Thivim recently protested against a private university seeking 2 lakh square meters of land in their village. Alemao warned that these universities might sell off the land in the future, leaving no land for the local people.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has defended these moves by saying they will help Goa become an educational hub. However, Alemao argued that the government has failed to maintain Goa University’s ranking and that institutions like the National Institute of Technology (NIT) are hiring people from other states, depriving locals of job opportunities.
Alemao also highlighted public opposition to the Indian Institute of Technology projects in Melauli, Canacona, and Sanguem, where large amounts of land are being allotted, leading to concerns about environmental destruction. He warned that such projects will strain local infrastructure, including sewage systems, waste management, and water and electricity supplies.
