BY A GT REPORTER
PANJIM: With a total of 294 industrial units having closed down and just one of these units applying for the revival scheme, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat was compelled to announce 'Revisiting' the Scheme on the floor of the House yesterday. At the same time, he also promised to examine the matter pertaining to the return of the amount of re-sold plots by the GIDC to the earlier owners of the plots.
The matter came to light when Bicholim MLA Rajesh Patnekar raised the matter through a Starred Question during the Question Hour of the Assembly. The main grouse of the opposition BJP related to the utter inability of the Scheme to elicit a favourable response from these industrial units which has manifested itself in just one application being received by the government for availing of the benefits under this Scheme.
Although the Chief Minister took shelter under the argument that the Scheme provides relief from electricity charges, commercial taxes and PWD, opposition leader Manohar Parrikar was emphatic on the fact that these measures do not help in revival of closed unit but are beneficial only after the closed unit stands on its feet."
The first step should be to revive the unit," added the opposition leader. Cancona MLA Vijay Pai Khot pooh-poohed the government's claims of Canacona industrial estate being located in the backward area of Canacona taluka. " The Canacona Industrial estate is connected with NH 17 and is located within one kilometre of Canacona Municipality," claimed Khot who wanted industrial mother units to be set up for creating a conducive atmosphere for reviving Canacona Industrial Estate.
Mandrem MLA Laxmikant Parsekar wanted the government's response for generating employment for employees of these 294 closed units. Former Finance Minister Dayanand Narvekar wanted the government to return the amount of those entrepreneurs whose plots were resold by the GIDC.
‘Hindujas to set up Auto Park in Goa’
Chief Minister Digambar Kamat yesterday announced that business typhoons -- the Hindujas -- have evinced keen interest in setting up of an Auto park in Goa.
The CM's response came against the backdrop of Khot's insistence on setting up of industrial mother units to support small ancillary units in an ailing Canacona industrial estate. Kamat felt the aforesaid Auto Park could come up in such areas which needed such industrial mother units. Moreover, it was the CM's contention that such an Auto Park could provide a rich source of employment to the teeming army of unemployed, lowly educated, in these areas.
This proposal found ready support in opposition leader Manohar Parrikar who wholeheartedly supported the proposal. Khot also welcomed this proposal and wanted it to fructify at the earliest in Canacona taluka.
