As Goa approaches the centenary of India’s independence, we find ourselves at a defining moment in our history. The choices we make today will shape the Goa our children and grandchildren will inherit.
As President of the Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI), I believe this is the time to boldly reimagine the future – to build a Goa that is economically vibrant, ecologically responsible, socially cohesive, and globally competitive.
Over the past year, we at GCCI undertook a deep, consultative process – one that brought together voices from business, government, academia, and civil society. The outcome is our long-term vision document: 'विकसित गोंय 2047 – Developed Goa 2047’, a comprehensive roadmap designed to serve as both a guide and a commitment to transformative change. It is a collective aspiration shaped by diverse expertise and grounded in practical, investment-ready strategies.
Need for a new model
Goa’s economic trajectory has long been defined by tourism and mining. These sectors have contributed substantially to our Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), employment, and global visibility. But these strengths are now revealing limitations: over-reliance on seasonal tourism, ecological degradation from unregulated development, infrastructure constraints, and rising logistics costs.
Goa’s logistics costs, for instance, are estimated at 14% of GSDP – nearly six percentage points higher than global best practices. Peak-season waste generation exceeds 450 tonnes per day, straining our waste management systems. Meanwhile, land-use conflicts have become increasingly intense, with unplanned real estate growth threatening both biodiversity and affordability for Goans.
We cannot ignore these warning signs. Left unaddressed, they risk locking us into a low-growth, high-conflict equilibrium. Instead, we must leverage our strategic advantages – a 101-kilometre coastline, high literacy rates, two world-class airports, well-connected ports, and our vibrant cultural capital – to pivot towards a high-value, knowledge-driven, and ecologically aligned growth path.
Blueprint for sustainable prosperity
Our Developed Goa 2047 vision is organised around six cross-cutting themes that emerged from 12 sectoral taskforces. These themes are interconnected and mutually reinforcing – each one designed to align economic opportunity with environmental and social responsibility.
1. Real estate & ecosystem sustainability
One of our most urgent priorities is reconciling development with ecological preservation. We are proposing a unified digital land-use cadastre that will integrate CRZ norms, municipal master plans, and eco-sensitive zone maps into a single public portal. This will bring transparency, accelerate approvals, and ensure biodiversity protection.
We also propose a “Blue-Green FAR” incentive – offering additional floor area for projects that meet ecological benchmarks such as canopy retention, grey-water recycling, and construction-waste neutrality. Our goal is to achieve 80% landfill diversion and 40% tree-cover retention by 2035.
Further, we are advocating for the transformation of exhausted mining pits into solar parks, rainwater reservoirs, and eco-industrial parks – converting liabilities into long-term community assets through a dedicated "Mining-to-Mobility" land bank mechanism.
2. Public-Private Partnerships for growth
Goa’s infrastructure pipeline is estimated at over Rs 45,000 crore, yet public finances alone cannot meet this need. We must crowd-in private capital through well-structured lifecycle PPPs, green bond–ready Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs), and a real-time public dashboard that tracks project performance and ESG metrics.
We envision transport corridors like the Zuari–Mormugao Ro-Pax waterway, ring-road EV lanes, and upgraded cruise terminals under Sagarmala. Health and education infrastructure can be boosted through super-speciality PPPs and industry-led skilling hubs.
Our model includes a “Community Dividend Clause” – mandating that a portion of project revenues be reinvested locally. This ensures that growth is not just inclusive in rhetoric, but in outcomes.
3. Participatory community engagement
True development is impossible without public trust and ownership. Across Goa, we’ve seen how citizen litigation – from mining moratoria to coastal zoning disputes – has shaped policy. Rather than view this as an obstacle, we see it as an opportunity to embed community voices into the very architecture of planning.
We propose quarterly deliberative gram sabhas, participatory budgeting pools, and “social license scores” that quantify public support for large-scale projects. With over 2,000 trained civic fellows and local data co-operatives, we can convert passive opposition into active co-creation.
This isn’t just about democracy – it’s also good economics. Community-aligned projects move faster, face fewer legal hurdles, and deliver better outcomes.
4. Design, Creativity, Innovation & Logistics (GCCs)
Goa must become more than a destination – it must become a hub of innovation. We are positioning Goa as India’s boutique “Silicon-by-the-Sea,” with three proposed Global Capability Centres (G-Hubs):
* A Marine Bio-Innovation Park focused on blue tech and aquaculture.
* A Creative District in a heritage quarter for gaming, design, music, and film.
* A Smart Logistics Valley at Verna to advance AI-enabled warehousing and cold-chain R&D.
We are also proposing "Startup Passports" – simplified compliance regimes for new ventures – and open-API data lakes to enable innovation in mobility and logistics.
Our targets are ambitious but achievable: 5,000 startups, Rs 10,000 crore in private R&D investment, and a reduction in logistics cost to 9% of GSDP by 2035.
5. Scaling up tourism, pharma, entertainment & gaming
Tourism must now evolve beyond beaches and nightlife. We propose “experience corridors” – a North Goa music and nightlife zone, a central heritage-culinary belt, and a South Goa wellness circuit co-located with medical and pharma tourism hubs.
We advocate responsible gaming reforms including GGR-based taxation and digital self-exclusion, as well as green incentives for eco-conscious film production.
These reforms are designed to reduce the resident-tourist conflict index by 40%, improve hotel occupancy from 54% to 78%, and boost pharma exports by 60%.
6. Learn in Goa, Heal in Goa, Do Business in Goa
Goa’s literacy is near universal – yet we face talent shortages in hospitality, IT, maritime logistics, and healthcare. We are calling for a Human Capital & Skill Development Authority to align curricula with industry demand.
Our “Heal-in-Goa” initiative includes fast-tracking NABH accreditation, integrating Ayush with wellness tourism, and establishing airport medical helpdesks.
And to make Goa a destination for entrepreneurship, we propose a “Start Business in a Week” service – bundling all regulatory approvals into a single digital application.
The outcome? One lakh new skilled jobs, halving specialist doctor vacancies, and placing Goa in the top three sub-national Ease of Doing Business rankings.
From vision to action
Our vision is ambitious, but it is not abstract. It is built on actionable policy levers, outcome-based metrics, and a clear implementation framework. But to succeed, we need more than ideas – we need collaboration.
I have proposed the formation of a Goa Vision 2037 Steering Council, chaired by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, bringing together leaders from business, government, academia, and global advisors. This council can provide the strategic coherence and execution velocity Goa needs for a generational transformation.
At GCCI, we do not see ourselves merely as industry representatives. We see ourselves as co-architects of Goa’s future. This report is not an endpoint – it is a beginning.
Personal note
Over the past months, I have had the opportunity to engage with some of India’s leading thinkers as part of our Leaders@GCCI series – including Mohandas Pai, Amitabh Kant, Shazia Ilmi, M J Akbar, and Vikram Chandra. Each one echoed the same sentiment: Goa has the potential to become India’s most admired model of sustainable growth – but only if we act with speed and shared purpose.
Let me conclude with a message I have repeated often, but believe more firmly with each passing day: Growth and sustainability are not opposing choices. In Goa, they must become each other’s greatest strength.
Looking Ahead
Together, we can build a Goa that is not only more prosperous, but more resilient, equitable, and proud of its identity. A Goa where every citizen, from the remotest taluka to the most vibrant urban ward, feels included in its progress. A Goa that inspires the nation.
We at GCCI stand ready – to invest, to partner, and to lead.
Let us build a Developed Goa – विकसित गोयं – not by chance, but by design.
Let me close by repeating a line that captures the essence of this vision:
“Growth and sustainability are not opposing choices. In Goa, they must become each other’s greatest strength.”
Let us move forward with ambition, humility, and unity – and build a Goa that future generations will be proud to inherit.
