Goa as the Land of Opportunity

We the People

Last week I wrote how the Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) refused to divulge information that would be released to citizens in most democracies, certainly India’s. But, it chose instead to make it look like the Right to Information Act was an Albatross around its neck, so to speak. My questions to GIDC were borne out of the knowledge of a surreptitious method to transfer already owned plots to new owners. This information was also withheld from the Goa State Industries Association (GSIA) after a few dogged Goan entrepreneurs perturbed by these goings-on asked GIDC for information. I am not even sure GSIA has the information, which speaks volumes of how government-owned corporations and its departments are managed – sneaky as hell. After the Herald business pages exposed the pathetic conditions in a few industrial estates, GIDC did repair some roads, but came down on a few prime suspects. Now entrepreneurs are too scared to talk.

Sleaze and vice

Why should entrepreneurs, many of whom who have totally suspect agendas, see Goa as the Land of Opportunity like the US is seen as by a Diaspora of immigrants? And why should they take on lease a plot (in some cases plots) and when the going gets rough or, a sucker shows up, sell the plots off at a fat price. As rumour has it, there is an interest group at work that lays its sticky fingers on as many plots as possible. Legally, can an entrepreneur who has taken a plot on lease, sell or transfer (that’s the legal term used in this game of Musical Chairs a.k.a Musical Plots) ownership? If he can, should be be allowed to do at will on what is unarguably government land? And is that what is government-owned is fundamentally owned by We the People? I mean you don’t like your employer, you walk away. Your job sucks, find another that you like. Your local grocery/pub is crap, you walk away. You don’t hang in there for a replacement! So, if a failed entrepreneur can’t get his act together, he should be shown the door. Right?

Sinking hooks in

An application form to transfer a plot was especially formatted proving GIDC knowingly prepared itself for exactly this eventuality with typical bureaucratic foresight. To make the entire process look self-important, a procedure was set in. Thus a formal letter from the transferor and transferee and a Memorandum of Understanding were a part of the elaborate paper work. The transferor has to submit a deregistration certificate from the Directorate of Industries (applicable for registered units only.) Really now, if the entrepreneur has been ‘pre-deregistered’ simply show him the door (he is on his way out anyway, for Chrissakes) and bring in the new. So, why bait a fish, if it’s not food you want on the platter? Or, is it that the bait is not for the fish but really for the fisher. There is more of paper work, but it’s frankly boring.

Even bigger bait

As on December 31, 2008, GIDC received 242 applications for transfer of plots from January 1, 2007. It approved 180 transfers. My investigations reveal that the first official cut-off date for the transfer was October 31, 2008. Guess why the deadline was deferred? On a bet of 10 to one, you would be dead right if your answer was, ‘some transferors were themselves part of the decision making.’ Within the Langley (CIA headquarters) like structure of GIDC where secrets are also not leaked out, there are two well-known handlers whose undercover operations ensure that plots are transferred at a price. One goes by the code name Agent ‘S’ and works undercover at the Verna Industrial Estate. The other is Agent ‘B’ based at the GIDC’s headquarters in Panjim. He was once a simple computer assistant, but got promoted high up on the hierarchy when GIDC discovered his talent for undercover work.

Turning tricks

The number of transferors and transferees involved in the packaging or offset printing trade involved in both directions of the plot exchange business that obviously transacted under the table, boggles the mind. I say under the table because, if it were over the table, then entrepreneur transferors would mandatorily hand over their unutilised plots to GIDC. That’s the way it should be. One headline grabber is the case of Shree Mallikarjun Shipping Pvt. Ltd that owned two plots (141 &1470 M2) in the Sancoale Industrial Estate which it transferred to Goa Shipyard Ltd. Two things cross the mind instantly: GSL is a GoI-owned defense public sector unit; why should it have to negotiate with a private company for plots? Why, for exactly cases like this, and for that matter deserving new generation entrepreneurs; are failed entrepreneurs not forced to surrender their plots, so that fresh negotiations can be conducted that would financially benefit GIDC. Get my point?


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