PANAJI
'Achche Din' may well be here for the good folk of Curtorim assembly constituency.
The local legislator, Independent MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, appears to have taken a leaf from Health Minister Vishwajit Rane's book, especially when it comes to a soft corner for his constituents over hiring for government jobs.
"The issue right now is that Goans need to be given jobs. So, we will see how best I can enforce and see how our people can be accommodated. I will certainly give preference to the people of my constituency and then we will help the others too," Reginaldo told reporters soon after taking charge as the chairperson of the Industries Development Corporation.
But Reginaldo also added a rider.
"But it should not be that there is a taboo on me that I am looking only after my people, we will see what maximum we can do to help everybody," the Curtorim MLA said.
Speaking about his plans for improving the industrial scenario, the chairperson said that the IDC under him would function as an agency to facilitate industries and not as a real estate office.
"I am here to tell you that this is certainly not a real estate office, it will be an industrial office. I have got some calls from people that some estates do not have roads, so I will take a meeting today itself and look into that issue," Reginaldo said.
His primary focus, the IDC chairman said, was to ensure justice for existing industrial units in the state.
"We have to first see that justice is done to existing industrial units. And if we give them good service, I think more industries will come. More industries are required for the simple reason the creation of jobs is an issue. We want our people to get more jobs in the industries and it will be my endeavour to see that our people are accommodated. I know it is not easy," he said adding that industry representatives would neither be given a "deaf ear, nor a blind eye' when they approach him with complaints.
Asked to comment on existing polluting industries in the State, Reginaldo said that technology could be put to use to find solutions to such problems.
"There is already a policy that we should bring non-polluting industries. We'll see. Whatever actions we take should not damage the industry. If there are some issues, we have to see. There is technology, and there are new ways of doing things. We can put in new methods and see that there is a solution," Reginaldo said.
"We look forward to finding solutions and not creating problems. Industrial estates units (are) dying down. I am here not to give them a blind eye and a deaf ear. So existing units should be given what they want," he added.
Asked whether he was disappointed about not being appointed as a Minister in the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant-led cabinet, Reginaldo gave a lengthy explanation about focussing on winning a war and not small battles.
"People have expectations. A target is there, goal is there. I became an MLA four times and did not become a minister. But that zeal, enthusiasm, that passion for working to help my people don't stop me. All these are small battles. My main war, I will win the war and the result will be that my people will have the best facilities in our constituencies," he said.
"That war I will win, where I am supposed to reach, I will reach, no one can stop me at that point in time. No one can take away a person's destiny," Reginaldo added.
