the goan I network
PANAJI
The Economic Development Corporation (EDC) has decided to back out of two key projects which were entrusted to the Corporation during the tenure then chief minister late Manohar Parrikar.
Stating this at a news conference on Tuesday, EDC Chairman Sadanand Shet Tanawade said the EDC would withdraw its services from two key projects, that of building a convention centre at Miramar and auctioning the SEZ plots at Verna.
The State government had plans to develop a convention centre at the Dona Paula IT habitat on an area of 2,706 sq. mtrs. The complex has been planned to have an auditorium to accommodate 5,000 people, a five-star hotel, a mall and a theatre.
The EDC had selected a Gurgaon-based company as consultant and the project design had been finalised. The tender had also been floated to construct the project under the Private Public Partnership mode.
“We (EDC) have spent Rs 1.87 crore for this project till date. At a Board of Directors meeting, we have decided that the convention centre project will be handed over to the Information and Publicity Department. The EDC has decided that the government should return the money spent by EDC on the project,” said Tanawade.
Tanawade also informed about EDC’s decision to withdraw as nodal agency to auction 38.40 lakh sq. mtrs of plots earlier marked under Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at the Verna Industrial Estate.
“Then chief minister late Manohar Parrikar had taken this decision to auction these plots through the EDC. The Corporation was supposed to auction it and retain the profit margin,” said Tanawade.
“However, the Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) is now interested in selling these plots on its own. We have, therefore, taken a board decision to withdraw from this project and we have already conveyed this decision to the GIDC,” said Tanawade.
After having sold 48 plots
