Goemkarponn Desk
PANAJI: Stating that around 12 lakh square meters of land is lying unutilised in industrial areas across the State, Industries Minister Mauvin Godinho on Friday said a new exit policy would soon be announced to enable idle industrial land to be re-alloted to another person.
Godinho was taking to reporters after a meeting with stakeholders and industrialists from Sancoale and Verna Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) as part of the IDC Connect initiative.
“An exit policy will be announced shortly by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, where people will be able to give their plots to others to bring in a new industry. It has come to our notice that around 12 lakh square meters land is lying unutilised in industrial areas all over the State,” said Godinho.
“Either it is plain land where nothing was done or we may find a half-constructed shed or even we could find that the business took place for some time but later the shed was closed.”
“This can be re-alloted and given to others wherein the original owners get their money and the new entrepreneur can get a new plot or shed so that we can have new industries that could subsequently generate new employment opportunities for the youth,” said Godinho.
Godinho said many new regulations have been notified for the benefit of the industrial sector.
“We are moving a step further by launching a portal that will be faceless and get all the parameters on an online platform after which there is no need to for any industrialists to go personally.”
“We have seen some industrial sheds doing good business but the shed has not been painted for the last 10-15 years. We have asked industrialists to paint their shed after rains and plant trees during monsoons so that the area gets beautified and greenery is visible. We are trying to improve infrastructure like roads, lighting, gutters and parking spaces across all industrial estates,” said Godinho.
Stating that the IDC Connect is a programme which helps the IDC connect with industrialists of that particular place and understand their concerns, Godinho said many measures had been planned to improve the Sancoale Industrial Estate.
“As far as issues of Sancoale IDC is concerned, local grievances like mischief from neighbouring areas will now be addressed as I have directed the industrial estates to have a strong concrete compound wall with CCTVs installed to monitor any activity.”
“The IDC building lying in a dilapidated state in the Sancoale IDC can be redeveloped under PPP model with more amenities for the industry. Industrialist Sanjay Satardekar has been kind enough to give an NOC for a 15-mtr road through his land that will connect the Sancoale IDC to the main four-lane highway at Verna,” said Godinho.
