As industrial land dries up, govt looks to tap pvt land for manufacturing use

Panaji: With the state running out of industrial land, govt is actively considering a policy to facilitate the use of private land for new investors looking to start operations in Goa, said industries minister Mauvin Godinho. Godinho said that several landowners with “lakhs of sqm” have already approached govt offering their land for manufacturing facilities.

“Many people have approached us, requesting GIDC, as they wish to give their private land for industrial purposes. We need to create a land bank, and investors don’t need to approach only IDC; they can also approach these private entities. IDC will be the facilitator. We said OK. We will implement it, but we have to still decide. It is in the infancy stage,” said Godinho while speaking at the annual body meeting of the Goa State Industries Association.

Godinho and chief minister Pramod Sawant first put up this idea in 2022, but the proposal never took off. Godinho has now informed industrialists that a policy is being drafted to create a land bank of private land which can be offered to investors.

Prime industrial land at Verna, Pilerne, Tuem, Latambarcem, and other places has virtually dried up, and Goa Industrial Development Corporation has also nearly exhausted the 40% quota of industrial land kept aside for investments cleared by the Goa Investment Promotion Board.

“We have to formulate our policy first, and we are in the process. We want to do it as fast as possible, but it is not something that is to be decided in a jiffy. We have to apply our mind, and the GIDC board has to decide,” said Godinho.

Godinho said that he has moved a file to rationalise the house tax that industries have to pay. He said that an amendment to provide relief to industrial units will most likely be introduced in the coming assembly session. Godinho said that he is also pushing for the proposal to allow industries to grow vertically within industrial estates.