Industry stakeholders stated that the Goa’s efforts to bring in change with respect to the ease of doing business are only on paper. The industry reacted strongly to Goa’s dismal performance in the Centre’s ease of doing business rankings where the state went down five spots to number 24 from 19 in 2018.
One of the biggest hurdles is the practice of sending files for clearance to the minister or chairman.
Blaise Costabir, Chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), said “At the end, every minister wants files to come to them. The dealing hand who receives the file has a job to do, but he sends every file to the minister which takes a long time and at the end.”
Blaise has called for training and capacity building for government staff, particularly the Goa Industrial Development Corporation.
Goa stood at No. 19 in 2018 and has now slipped five places in the fourth edition of the business reform action plan (BRAP) ranking of states, as it failed to bring in much-needed industry reforms.
Goa State Industries Association (GSIA) President Damodar Kochkar stated that this was an alarming sign for Goa’s industrial scenario and since he took over as president, he has been insisting on the need for ease of doing business in the real sense.
The Department for the Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) identified 187 reforms which states had to implement but instead of seeking compliance documents from various departments, this time feedback was sought for from local industry stakeholders.
Industry stakeholders stated that despite rules being changed or notifications brought in by the state government, not much has changed for the private sector on the ground.
Blaise highlighted about the overnight transfer of a 2.4 lakh sqm industrial plot from Meta Strips to logistics firm Varama Sir India and stated that when required, government departments can function very efficiently.
“The Meta Strips plot was transferred in a day, illegally and when the election code was in place.” With regard to this, he stated that it is possible for the state to do things quickly and efficiently, and Goa should be number one and not 24 in ease of doing business.
The Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, GSIA and other industry bodies, earlier this year, had clearly said that the government appears to be ignoring the concerns of the private sector.
