MAPUSA
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said the government was open to explore the idea to tie-up with foreign offshore and shipping companies to participate in the State’s skill development programme so that Goan youth get opportunity to work abroad in these companies.
However, Sawant told the Goa Legislative Assembly that there was a risk element in the proposal as the State had bad experiences where several youth were duped by some foreign agencies which promise jobs abroad and then vanish after collecting lakhs from the youth.
“We are ready to tie up with offshore or shipping companies in our skill development programme provided they are genuine companies. We can do it so that the companies can directly do the placement,” Sawant said.
“But there is a risk there. There are some agents who promise to take our youth abroad, take money from them and then vanish. There are at least 12 such cases registered in Goa. They come from outside and set up offices in Goa and cheat our youth,” he added.
The CM was responding to a proposal pitched by Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas while the House was discussing the issue of skill development programme during the Question Hour.
According to the Benaulim MLA, many of the youth were not satisfied with the kind of the salary they get in the State and therefore did not attend the programmes on skill development launched by the State. He said many parents also discouraged their children from attending these programmes.
“Many of our youth want to go abroad, earn and come back,” Viegas said.
He said the government should give Goans an opportunity to go offshore like on rigs or on ships.
“Just like we tie-up with foreign companies there are offshore companies “ rigs or shipping companies who would like to participate in our programme. It could be one segment where we could explore to do a tie up with our skill centres,” he said.
The CM said the government was ready to deal with anyone who was genuine and the MLA could help in taking the plan forward.
