Congress party dubs Goa’s tourism policy as ‘disastrous’; socio-economic and socio-cultural impact not studied

The Congress party on Thursday said Goa's Draft Tourism Policy 2018, which has been put in the public domain for suggestions, was "disastrous" for the state and its residents.

The opposition party said the socio-economic and socio-cultural impact of the policy has not been studied, and encourages privatisation of assets of the state-run Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC).

Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar on Wednesday chaired a meeting of MLAs to discuss the Draft Tourism Policy 2018.

Talking to reporters in Margao on Thursday, Congress MLA and party spokesperson Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco said he has written a letter to Ajgaonkar in which he has objected to certain provisions in the policy.

"The policy is disastrous for Goa and Goans...The report (policy) is silent on the exact income or revenue generated by the tourism industry in Goa and how much of it percolates to local Goans," Lourenco said.

"The socio-economic and socio-cultural impact of the master plan or policy has not been assessed. How much and what kind of employment will accrue to Goans and the extent of in-migration to fill up the rest has not been studied at all," he added.

"It is absolutely essential to know the impact of the policy before approving the master plan or the policy," Lourenco added.

He alleged that the draft policy encourages privatisation of assets of the GTDC, which is "condemnable".

"The assets of the GTDC were created over the last three decades through public funds. These assets cannot be allowed to be passed on to private parties," Lourenco said.

He also pointed out that while proposing projects like marina at Sancoale village (South Goa), the policymakers have ignored the fact that Chicalim-Sancoale bay is a biodiversity hotspot, being a breeding ground for windowpane oysters, a species protected under Schedule IV of Wildlife (Protection) Act.

The Congress leader also said that local bodies like the gram sabhas were not taken into confidence while drafting the document.