Plan offers subsidies, incentives, jobs for locals to make Goa a logistics hub
PANAJI
In a bid to give a fillip to the logistics and warehousing sector in the State, the government has approved a new policy envisaging multiple incentives, including subsidies for capital investment on infrastructure for the sector.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said Wednesday’s cabinet meeting, which he chaired, has cleared the policy.
Industries Minister Mauvin Godinho, who accompanied Sawant at the post-cabinet press conference, said the policy, which includes multiple incentives for the sector, also lays emphasis on local employment.
“Companies employing at least 60% Goan workers will be eligible for full benefits,” Godinho said, adding that those who have 40–60% Goans on their rosters will be eligible for only some of the incentives.
The policy proposes a capital investment subsidy of up to Rs 50 lakh, an interest subsidy on loans of three to five years, 100% reimbursement of stamp duty and registration fees, and electricity duty reimbursement for cold chain units, he added.
Additionally, logistics and warehousing firms will also be eligible for a subsidy of up to Rs 5,000 per Goan worker as a ‘skill development’ incentive. This subsidy will have an upper limit of Rs 50 lakh for up to a maximum of 1,000 Goan workers.
Other incentives included in the policy are a subsidy for quality certification, and an incentive of up to Rs 2 lakh to upgrade logistics and management support software.
Godinho said most investment proposals being received by the government currently are in the logistics and warehousing sector, adding that the new policy has the potential of making the State a major logistics hub.
Despite concerted efforts, the logistics sector has failed to take off in the State on a scale the government had originally hoped for. Nonetheless, the commissioning of the Manohar International Airport at Mopa over a year ago has opened a window of hope for the sector, making Goa an ideal location with multi-modal connectivity — rail, road, air and sea.
