Goa Budget to focus on industrial investment, job creation: CM

Keeping the growing number of unemployed youths in mind, the Goa government is looking at giving incentives to attract industrial investment in the upcoming Budget to create employment opportunities, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar has said.
"The ensuing Budget (for 2015-16) will focus on creating employment opportunities for the youth. Youths are looking for employment in Government sector, but with a limited capacity we can't give them jobs.
"Opportunities in the private sector would be created for youths by inviting new investment in the industrial segment," Parsekar told PTI yesterday.
He said the State has already started attracting investors through its Investment Promotion Board which has given approval for investment to the tune of Rs 4,500 crore during a recent meeting.

The Government, while approving the investment, has made it mandatory for industries to provide 80 per cent of the jobs created to the local youths, he said.
If an investor provides more jobs to locals, he will be offered more incentives, the Chief Minister said.

Parsekar, who also holds finance portfolio, will be presenting his first-ever Budget in the Assembly on March 25.
The Chief Minister said the Budget needs to take into account expected revenue from the mining industry, where operations have stopped since the last two years.
However, the Centre suspended environment clearances (ECs) of mining leases in 2012 and this is hampering Budget preparations, he said.

"We expect the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest to lift the suspension order on environment clearances to various mining leases, so that extraction can begin," Parsekar said.