Invest India to set up desks in all states to promote investment: Goyal

Officials of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade would be shifted to 'Invest India', which will set up trade and investment desks in each state of the country, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said here on Friday.

These desks will promote investments and exports, he said, adding that work of the DGFT will be moved online so that no one will need to visit offices.

Interacting with industry captains in Panaji in presence of Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, the Union Minister for Commerce and Industry said Invest India, which was helping foreign investors, will now also help domestic investors.

"They (Invest India) will encourage more investment and also partnerships between the industries. They will also do match making," Goyal said.

Goyal said his ministry would be inviting 20-30 top pharma players to create four to five hubs of the sector in different states, including Goa.

Efforts will be taken to expand pharma industries in states like Goa, Gujarat, Hyderabad (Telangana), Himachal, Uttarakhand, the minister said.

He asked industry captains to give suggestions in writing so that they could be taken to their logical conclusion.

The minister said he would meet stakeholders of the entertainment sector to see what is required to bring them to Goa.

"They cannot get a better place than Goa for film shooting. I see tremendous potential for non-polluting industries in Goa. Beautiful beaches, warm hospitality makes Goa an ideal place for tourism, which provides maximum income and income opportunities," he said.

Asserting that Goa was the best place to develop home stays, he said the state government must come up with a policy to encourage the sector.

"One can get mudra loan as part of the Central government's scheme. It is a unique way to promote tourism. More than Indian tourists, foreign tourists would love that. Goa can attract high-value tourists if the state is marketed better," Goyal added.

He said he would form a working group of Goa and the Union tourism ministry to promote tourism in the state.

Citing the example of Maldives, Goyal said the Indian Ocean nation was attracting tourists through social media influencers and was encouraging film stars to come there on full paid vacations in order to promote the destination.