PANAJI
The Goa Chapter of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) as well as the Goa State Industries Association came in support of the DefExpo being conducted at Quitol saying that it will be hugely beneficial to the State and objections if any should be objective.
Addressing media, representatives of the CII and GSIA said opposition to arguably Goa’s largest event sprung from the fact that locals were not adequately informed of the nature of the event being hosted.
“The benefits of hosting such a DefExpo in Goa are unmistakable. It will create local employment opportunities, increased business for the existing tourism industry as well as locals,” Sudin Naik President of GSIA said.
“The locals and residents of the surrounding areas of Quitol-Betul are not properly informed and educated of the advantages of this important event,” he said adding that with better infrastructure coming with the expo it was a win-win situation for Goa.
He was backed by Shekhar Sardessai the Vice Chairman of CII’s Goa Chapter who said Goa should instead ride the wave of Make in India Defence manufacturing and bargain with the Defence Ministry to set up a manufacturing unit like that of a helicopter manufacturing unit in exchange for using its land.
“Activism should be for something positive. It would be right if Goa asked for defence manufacturing units being set up by foreign companies here. Goan youth will then get the best paying jobs,” Sardessai said.
He said that it was important that Goa was able to host an expo of this size whether it was at Quitol or at any other location within the State.
“It is important that Goa has a venue to host world class exhibitions. Other exhibitions too can be held later. Goa at present, does not have such infrastructure,” he added.
Goa already has a defence manufacturing unit in the form of Goa Shipyard Ltd, which recently received bulk orders from the Ministry of Defence for the construction of minesweepers -- a technology that was hitherto unavailable in the country.
