GOEMCHEA RAKHONDARANCHO AWAZ
(GRA)
Address: Upper Ground Floor, C-1, Saldanha Towers, Feira Alta, Mapusa
Bardez - Goa - Ph. 0832 - 2263284
Date: 14.3.2012
To,
Shri. Manohar Parrikar,
Hon. Chief Minister of Goa,
Secretariat,
Alto de Betim,
Bardez-Goa.
Dear Sir,
The members of Goemchea Rakhondarancho Awaz (G.R.A.) congratulate you on
your electoral victory and wish you great success in the administration of
this, our beloved land, and in the protection of Goans.
Our Association, which is a registered body, was formed with the specific
purpose of promoting the grant of special status or category for Goa, the
creation of a Lok Ayukta and the sanitization of the Electoral Rolls.
Recently, we have made a representation to the Finance Minister of the
Government of India, Mr. Pranab Mukerjee with reference to his press
conference at Margao on 27.02.2012 with regard to special status. Copy of
the same is annexed hereto for your ready reference and as it is self
explanatory, we shall not elaborate on the same here.
Sir, we remember you saying that it Goans wished to save Goa and preserve
it for future generations of Goans then the only solution would be to vote
B.J.P. to power. You even went to the extent of saying, perhaps out of
justified frustration, that you did not wish to continue in politics for
long. The people of Goa have now voted you to power and expect you to take
necessary measures to protect Goa and Goans by passing a resolution in the
Legislative Assembly for the grant of special category for Goa for the type
mentioned by us in our representation to the Finance Minister,. In the mean
time, a few measures suggested below, if taken immediately will ensure that
the rot does not spread and will surely benefit immensely the locals.
a) Do away immediately with amendments made to the Code of Comunidade
whereunder I.A.S. officers and other Government servants have been given a
right to avail of Comunidade plots without auction. This has favoured mostly
the non -goans and every I.A.S. officer has purchased land cheaply even
though he/she is in the high financial bracket and did not need such dole.
b) G.S.I.D.C. has a clause whereunder industries str-up in Goa have to
employ 80% Goans. This has been a condition that has remained only on paper
to fool people into believing that employment is being created for Goans.
The G.S.I.D.C. now says that they do not have the man power to verify
whether the industries were abiding by that condition. Instead the
industries set-up in Goa have only brought in more migrants whilst Goans
have to leave the state to find jobs.
c) Scrap the 20 point program altogether and plots that have not been
utilized should be reverted to the respective Comunidades from which the
same were acquired or redistribute such plots to the landless/homeless
people in that village before offering it to people from outside the
village-but give such plots to Goans only.
d) Eradicate slums, if necessary by repatriating the migrants settled
illegally in such land (which incidentally are mainly located on Comunidade
land) beginning with Moti (or Monte) Dongor, Margao. The Administrators
appointed by the Government and who are Government servants are not taking
any action to evict illegal occupiers of Comunidade lands. It is necessary
that appointment of Government servants as Administrators should be stopped
forthwith.
e) Provide Goans with an opportunity to come back to the land by
encouraging the setting-up of call centers, IT industries and such other
industries wherein educated Goans may be employed.
f) Discourage labour-intensive industries --- we do not have such
labour class remaining in Goa.
g) Discourage road-works and other Government contracts being
carried-out menially and encourage mechanization to reduce dependence on
migrants.
h) Encourage Municipalities to mechanize the cleaning/sweeping
functions which presently employ almost 99% migrant labour.
Since the Assembly Session is slated to start soon, it will not be out of
place to urge you to start the process for tabling the motion for grant of
special status for GOA by the Centre.
We would be happy to hear from you on the subjects raised hereinabove.
Thank you in anticipation.
Yours faithfully, [GRA SEAL]
Sd/-
(Adv. Antonio Lobo)
Executive Member and Spokersperson
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