Colours to decide Goan industry

| 21 June 2002 15:01 IST

Red, orange and green - these three colours will now decide fate of any industry that intends to come down to Goa, with a lucrative package of subsidy and other incentives.


Classifying industries into three categories, the tourist state has decided to keep away the red category out, while encouraging environment-friendly and employment-generating industry.

"My government is in favour of encouraging industries like pharmaceuticals, software, precision engineering, biotechnology and so on", states chief minister Manohar Parrikar.


He has not yet spelt out the red category list. But he is firm on discouraging fly-by-night operators also, just not the pollutant chemical units that would hamper the tourism industry here. He is also aiming at long-term investment.


Stating that the green category will be listed out by next month, Parrikar has also announced 25 per cent subsidy to all such green units, with an investment ceiling of Rs 2.5 million, provided they are located in six interior talukas of the state - Pernem, Bicholim, Sattari, Sanguem, Quepem and Canacona.


Subject to an investment ceiling of Rs 1.5 million, the state is also prepared to give 15 per cent subsidy to such units, if they are located elsewhere than these six talukas.


Industries falling in the category of orange will not be covered any kind of subsidised scheme.


He has also made budgetary provision to strengthen infrastructure of the existing industrial estates, including roads, transport, fire brigade and residential plots for the workers.


In addition, Parrikar has now also decided to extend the benefit of reduced water tariff of Rs 20 per cubit metre to all the industrial units in the state, which was restricted to those being set up in the industrial estates alone.


To attract industries that would consume 50 per cent of its raw material from Goa's mining and industrial waste like mining rejects, slag from pig iron plants, blast furnaces, fly ash from thermal plants and all such pollutant waste products. Besides special subsidies, these units are also offered reduced power tariff.


While proper well-targeted industrial policy has been a real neck in the pain of the unorganised industrial development in the tourist state so far, the BJP government here now wants to place the document by August, listing out its priorities.


Parrikar even has plans to set up professional groups, which will facilitate and expedite commercial value addition to agro-based products, with special focus on export-oriented floriculture and horticulture.


Dismantling the old system of clearing any industrial project through a high power co-ordination committee, the state will now have a Board for Investment and Export Import Promotion, dealing with industry as well as tourism projects.


In order to change the whole focus of industrialisation, even the industries department is being renamed as the department of industries, trade and commerce. The name itself says it all.

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