Goa Chief Minister Proposes Private Sector Hiring Via Government Body

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said his government is looking at the possibility of recruitment in private sector through the state-run Human Resource Development Corporation.

However, the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) and the opposition Congress have reacted sharply to it, saying they are against any such plan of the government.

Addressing a gathering in his Assembly segment Sankhalim on Sunday, Sawant said, "In the next budget, we want to provide job security to our state's youth. We are contemplating whether recruitments in private sector could be done through the Goa Human Resource Development Corporation."

"If we can recruit them through the corporation, we will be able to create 10,000 more employment opportunities (in private sector) for youth," the BJP leader said.

Sawant also said it is not possible for all unemployed youth to get jobs in the government sector, due to which the state government is looking at private industries.

The government's plan has, however, not gone down well with key industry players in the coastal state.

"If there is any such move, we would oppose it. We are, in principle, not for any such decision," GCCI president Manoj Caculo said.

Some industry players feel they should have a free environment for growth of the economy.

"Political interference in recruitments in the industry would be detrimental to growth," a Goa-based industrialist said on condition of anonymity.

Goa Congress chief Girish Chodankar also criticised the government's plan, saying there should be no political interference in private sector recruitments as it involves the sentiments of investors.

He said the "competency and quality" of workforce selected by the state-run body could also be questionable.

"In several government jobs, political interference has overpowered talent. A similar situation should not be there in the private sector also," Chodankar said.

"The youth will be frustrated (with this plan). The government can (rather) implement the plan to reserve 80 per cent jobs in private industries for locals based on merit, so that youth do not get frustrated and brain drain is stopped," the Congress leader said.

He claimed the industrial estates in Goa were still struggling to have a decent infrastructure in place.

"Issues like power and water supply are plaguing the industrial estates. With this move, I am sure the industries will not even have proper manpower," he said.