PANAJI
The Chief Minister of Goa, Dr Pramod Sawant visited Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) to discuss and resolve various pending issues. In this meeting the CM, accompanied by the Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goyal and his team of various IAS secretaries, met up with GCCI president Ralph de Sousa and vice president Srinivas Dempo. GCCI team including Pratima Dhond, Yatin Kakodkar, Chandrakant Gawas, Sanjay Amonkar was also present on the occasion. The GCCI president made a comprehensive presentation on achieving the vision of ‘Swayampurna Goa 2.0’ and Atma Nirbhar Bharat. The body also congratulated the CM for appointing professionals as heads of the departments and setting up a world class medical hazardous waste management facility at Kundaim.
Putting forth demands for various administrative reforms and focus on reduction in transmission and distribution losses in the Power sector, formation of district level committees for in ED- Goa and more power sanction for Goa from the Centre, GCCI requested a dialogue between the industry and the government in labour related matters. The CM was also requested to promote mass plantation of Goan traditional fruit bearing trees along the National Highways.
Responding to GCCI demands, the Chief Minister assured to remove multiplicity of various licenses. The government has already started EODB in the Town & Country Planning department but more reforms need to be done in other departments. He also assured to implement the Public Service Delivery Act (2013) in principle and also facilitate accreditation of local hotels, venues having facilities to host marriages or public events under ease of doing business.
Sawant also agreed to set up a Grievance Redressal Committee with GCCI members so that the industry stakeholders can directly connect with CMO and discuss industry specific issues and ensure fast track resolution of long pending as well as current difficulties faced by Goan trade and industry. “With this committee in operation all major issues will be sorted out within 6 months,” hoped Sawant. He also agreed to expedite the Draft Retail Policy submitted by the GCCI.
The trade and commerce body agreed to work with the government on a Goa-centric logistic policy. Goa spends over Rs 10 crore per day towards procuring milk, vegetables, fruits, poultry etc from other States. The CM appealed to the industry and farming community to increase the yield of these products in Goa. “This will ensure that the money spent on other States will remain in Goa,” he pointed out. GCCI’s Agriculture & Food Processing Committee will be supporting the government to rejuvenate this primary sector.
The Mormugao Port connectivity will be completed within the next 6-9 months, making it a part of the multimodal linkage under the Gati Shakti Programme.
The government is ready to start certified training courses for a period of three months after mapping with the demand of skill sets required with an assurance of maximum absorption of local youth in the industries.
