PANAJI
The Chief Minister was faced with a barrage of questions and suggestions as he chaired a meeting with industry representatives to understand their requirements in the upcoming information technology (IT) park at Chimbel and electronic system design and manufacturing (ESDM) park at Tuem.The meeting was held to get a first hand view of the industry and to provide inputs on what would be their requirements for these 2 parks.Suggestions on providing uninterrupted power to brownfield units on the lines of upcoming greenfield parks, plea to abolish the central sales tax for manufactured goods besides questions on how the government plans to deal with e-waste in the upcoming projects dominated the meet.Ameya Abhyankar, director of IT and Nilesh Phaldesai, managing director of Info Tech Corporation of Goa were also present at the meeting.Abhyankar said, “The idea behind the meeting was to take inputs from industry on our upcoming IT park and ESDM park. We wanted to understand what industry would require in these parks. Their inputs will go into master-plans we are preparing for these parks.”Nitin Kunkolienkar from Smartlink Network Systems was present at the meeting as an industry representative. Kunkolienkar said, “Most of our suggestions to the government were about building infrastructure for industries. The state government is guaranteeing uninterrupted power supply to companies in greenfield parks in Tuem and Chimbel. We recommended that the same should be provided to existing brownfield units as well.”Companies in existing industrial estates have often complained about irregular power and water supply. Kunkolienkar added, “We even requested the state government to abolish the central sales tax (CST) for manufactured goods. Due to this, people can import products from outside, which will be cheaper since there is no such tax on that.”Phaldesai said, “The industry represenatives even asked what facility state government will provide to deal with e-waste in upcoming IT and ESDM parks. They even asked us about plans to provide medical facilities for staff at brownfield units in industrial estates.”The industry inputs are very crucial as they will find their way in the master plans for IT and ESDM parks. Subsequently, the master-plans will be opened for the village panchayats of Chimbel and Tuem as well.These two are much ambitious greenfield projects of the state government, which are also aimed at creating thousands of jobs for locals.
