the goan I network
Panaji
The President of Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Sandip Bhandare, has said that huge reinvestment is required in power infrastructure in the State.
Bhandare was speaking during a panel discussion on the topic of ‘Goa’s Economic Diversification’, which was organized by ET Now, the financial news-channel.
A number of industrialists complained that they were having half-day long power cuts on a regular basis, which is badly affecting their productivity.
Bhandare said, “It is not that we have dearth of power. But, we need huge reinvestment in power sector to improve our ability to transfer power from producers of power to consumers of power. For this purpose, we need investment in infrastructure.”
The discussion had a number of eminent panelists, which included Nikhil Desai (MD, Goa Tourism Development Corporation), Raghurama G (Director, BITS Pilani), Akshat Tyagi (Director, Sustainable Biosolutions LLP) and Utkarsh Dabhade (MD, Goamiles).
Tyagi highlighted that the rate of conversion of incubating companies into entrepreneurs is rather low in Goa. In the last few years, a number of incubators have emerged in the State, which offer affordable office-space and counseling to the start-ups.
Dhabade said that change management is an issue in the State’s economy. He said that shacks even today don’t accept digital mode of payments, as they only take cash.
Other panelists said that Goa has a number of strengths like high per capita income, good standard of living and educational institutions of repute, which will help in diversifying the local economy.
Desai said that importance should be given to retaining the educated people, who end up migrating to other parts for the lack of employable opportunities in Goa.
“We need to think what we offer to the youth in terms of well paying jobs when they pass out of esteemed institutions. Do we have right kind of jobs for them? We will have to retain the talent in the State,” Desai continued.
