FEARS? DON'T WORRY: AJGAONKAR
FILIPE NERI'S QUERY
Have consultants been asked to evaluate the impact of mass tourism model that Goa is pursuing on the local infrastructure and law-and-order
REPLY: All these concerns will be taken into account by the consultants. Ministry (tourism) is gearing up to manage tourism as Goa's numero uno economic activity following mining debacle
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CHURCHILL CAUTIONS
These Consultants are not aware of the tradition of Goans to operate shacks on the beaches. The activity cannot be scrapped
RESPONSE: I am sympathetic to shack operators. In fact, I have already kept the licencing process ready and will issue them in advance, before the season starts
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PANAJI: The Goa government has written to the Centre and sought certain concession for the tourism industry vis-a-vis the Coastal Regulatory Zone 2018 draft, the Goa legislative assembly was told on Thursday.
Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar, who revealed during the Question Hour that, concessions for the tourism industry was one of suggestions made in Goa's response to the draft, did not however spell out what these concessions are.
Ajgaonkar who was responding to a number of supplementaries on a question tabled by Velim MLA Filipe Neri Rodrigues on the under-preparation State Tourism Master Plan and Tourism policy, said restrictions of the CRZ notification will be taken into account by the consultants M/s KPMG Advisory Services Private Limited and Tourism & Leisure (T&L) Advisory Services, Spain in their work.
He said, the consultants have thus far finalised and submitted reports on four of the six modules in phase-I. The government has approved three of these modules and the fourth is under the consideration of the evaluation committee, Ajgaonkar said.
The consultancy agreement signed with the consortium tasks the consultants with preparing the Tourism Master plan and tourism policy in six modules in phase-I. The second phase entails preparing a blue print for management of tourism in the state.
Ajgaonkar said they have thus far been paid Rs 3.44 crore.
The Tourism Minister replied in the affirmative when Rodrigues sought to know whether in the terms of reference the consultants have been asked to evaluate the impact of the mass tourism model that Goa is pursuing on the local infrastructure and law-and-order.
"All these concerns will be taken into account by the consultants," Ajgaonkar said, adding that his ministry was gearing up to manage tourism as Goa's numero uno economic activity following mining's debacle.
The Tourism Minister also allayed fears expressed by Benaulim MLA, Churchill Alemao, that such consultants are known to be antagonistic to the traditional activity of operating shacks on Goa's beaches.
"These Consultants are not aware of the tradition of Goans to operate shacks on the beaches. The activity cannot be scrapped," Alemao cautioned to which Ajgaonkar assured no such thing has been thought of.
"I am sympathetic to shack operators. In fact, I have already kept the licencing process ready and will issue them in advance, before the season starts," Ajgaonkar said but warned that the practice of Goans taking the licences and sub-letting the shacks to outstation parties will be dealt with.
To another query raised by Rodrigues, the minister agreed to organise a presentation of the work done by the consultants on the Master Plan and Tourism Policy.
