No Compulsion to Employ Certain Percentage of Locals in Industrial Units: Goa Minister

Panaji: There is no compulsion of reservations for local residents in Goa's industrial policy, though certain incentives are given based on local employment, state industries minister Mauvin Godinho said on Thursday.

In a written reply in the assembly to a question by BJP MLA Sankalp Amonkar, he said, as per Goa Industrial Growth and Investment Promotion Policy(GIGIPP) 2022, incentives are given, with provision for increased benefits to those businesses that employ over 60 percent locals.

"There is no compulsion as of now (to hire a certain percentage of locals) but incentives are given based on local employment. In Goa Logistics and Warehousing Policy too emphasis is given on employment for locals while giving incentives for the logistic sector," he said.

The Directorate of Industries, Trade and Commerce is encouraging units to employ more Goans, he said, adding there is no proposal under consideration of the government to make local employment compulsory in private industries.

Earlier, the minister said the 'exit support scheme' introduced by Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) is applicable to only those units that were allotted land before August 1, 2014.

Responding to a question tabled in the assembly by Congress MLAs Yuri Alemao, Carlos Ferreira, Altone D'Costa and AAP MLA Cruz Silva, the state industries minister said the scheme was devised as "ease of exit" is an essential component of "ease of doing business".

"The exit support scheme is applicable for only those industrial undertakings which were allotted land prior to August 1, 2014, is presently not operational, and they intend to exit from the allotted land. The scheme allows utilisation of non-functional plots. It will lead to new investment and employment opportunities," Godinho said.

Moreover, the state government will earn additional revenue through registration and taxes, while GIDC will see rise in its steady revenue from rent, the minister said.

"Before finalising the scheme, an internal analysis was done using data received from field managers of 24 GIDC industrial estates. The data was collected through actual site inspection and collecting details such as ownership, plot number, area, un-utilization status," he added.