Overview
Nestled between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountains, Goa has always faced problems for enough cultivable land to feed its own population. While the coastal areas exposed to salinity do not qualify as good agricultural areas, inland areas too are not enough productive. For its day-to-day needs of agricultural produce like vegetables, etc., Goa is dependent on the neighbouring states of Karnataka and Maharashtra. Almost half the total area is not used for cultivation. Approximately one-third of the total land falls under forest areas, which however yields substantial profits.
Crops
The major crops of the State are paddy, followed by other cereals such as small millets and pulses. The main crop paddy is cultivated in Kharif season (June-September) as monsoon rain provides abundant water. The crops grown in rabi season (Oct-Feb.) are confined to areas where there is assured water supply. The main irrigation projects are Salaulim Irrigation Project in South Goa and Anjunem Irrigation project in North Goa.
The main plantation crops of Goa are coconut, arecanut, cashew and garden crops like mango, pineapple, jackfruits and bananas.
The Government forest area is estimated to be 1224.38 sq. kms. besides the forest land owned by private people and institutions amounts to 200 sq. kms. The important forests products are bamboo canes, Maratha barks, chillar barks, bhirand etc. The area planted under forest is 1424.38 sq. kilometers.
Associatons
GOA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY
Established in 1908 as Associacao Commercial da India Portuguesa, the Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industry has been instrumental in building up the infrastructure for trade and industry in Goa. It is very active in rendering all help to Goan industries to face the challenges of a competitive market economy through identifying new markets for local products, liaisoning with various government ministries and departments for enactment of favourable industrial policies and educating its members in various commercial, industrial and other related legislations and regulations existing in the country.
It is situated at
Goa Chamber Building, Rua de Ormuz, Panaji.
Banks
Nationalised and other banks have their branches all over Goa. Most of these banks and leading hotels, shops and travel agents have foreign currency exchange facilities. All major national and international credit cards are honoured at major hotels and shops.
AdvertisementFinancial Institutions
EDC House, Dr. Atmaram Borkar Road, Panaji.
EDC house, Dr. Atmaram Borkar Road, Panaji.
EDC House, 7th Floor, Dr. Atmaram Borkar Road, Panaji.
Lobo Building, 2nd Floor, 18th June Road, Panaji.
Sandeep Apartments, Dada Vaidya Marg, Panaji.
EDC HOUSE, Dr. Atmaram Borkar Road, Panaji.
EDC House, Dr. Atmaram Borkar Road, Panaji.
Money Changers
In addition to availability of exchange facilities at most of the Banks, the following are some of the Authorised Agents :
Panaji: Exchange Bureau, 119, Hotel Fidalgo, 18th June Road.
(Open all days from 0930 to 1900 hours)
Panaji: 8, Alcon Chambers, Near Collectorate Office, D.B. Marg.
Panaji: Naik Building, M.G. Road, Panaji.
Panaji: M.G. Road, Opp. Azad Maidan.Many Banks have ATM facilities in Goa.
Convention/Conference Halls
All major hotels have conference facilities and nowadays Goa has become an attractive place for holding business meetings and annual conferences.
Overview
The Government has emphasised the importance of a strong electronic industry in an emerging Information Society in the coming years. And focussed on building a robust infrastructure and framing and implementing an Information Technology Policy for providing a framework of actions and future guidance. The recommendations of this policy includes Action Plans, IT Governance and development of Software industry.
Infrastructure
As a major attraction and boost to Electronics Industry, the State Government plans to set up the following centres with the help of ET&T, a public sector unit under the Department of Electronics, Government of India.
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- Software Development & Export Centre
- Electronics Design & Technology Centre
- Raw Materials Bank
The Electronic Test & Development Centre
It provides varied testing facilities for different components and assemblies in electronics.
Goa is emerging to be a software paradise. Incentives to set up a software export centre in Goa are:
Infrastructure
The Software Technology Park (STP)
The first of the Software Technology Park (STP) complex is coming up at Verna, just about 12 kms. from Goa airport. The STP, besides providing excellent infrastructure viz. building and data communication facilities, also acts as a nodal point for a single-window clearance. Various multinationals and household names in the electronic and software sectors have already set shops here. Some of the facilities provided for these sectors are:
Infrastructure
The Information Super Highway Corridor
The proposed information super highway corridor at Panaji-Verna-Vasco-Mormugao is aimed at providing high-speed, state-of-the-art data communication and multimedia facilities like:
- Digital high-speed services
- Internet services
- Electronic Data Interchange
- Satellite communication
- Optical fibre network
- Other related services
Information Technology Policy
The IT policy of the Government of Goa envisages the use of IT in the Government Administration, Education, Industry, Health, Entertainment & Leisure Industry, and Empowerment and Social Equity. Development of Software Industry is an important component of this policy.
AdvertisementAction Plan For IT
- Setting up of Department of Information Technology
- Setting up of Software Technology Park Authority
- Setting up a Information Supercorridor
- Setting up a High-Powered IT Council
- Setting up of more IT Companies
- Attracting Multinationals and NRI IT Governance
- 10% budget allocation of every ministry/department for computerisation
- Building up of Hi-Tech Habitat at Bambolim
- Setting up of Value-Added Network services including ATMs, Electronic Kiosks, Telephones, Smart Cards, etc.
- IT Education and Training through an Institute of IT & Management
- Proliferation of Internet
Overview
Goa has a coastal line of about 105 kms. and inland water ways upto 250 kms. 
The coast is full of creeks and estuaries formed by rivers. The coastal and inshore waters are very rich in fishery resources specially Mackerels and Sardines. Little wonder then that fish constitutes a major food item for Goan palate. Thus fishery is an attractive area of business besides employing a large number of population. The fishermen population is 30225. The fish marine catch in 1998-99 is estimated at 65,841 tonnes valued at Rs. 9,029 lakhs.
Fish Varieties & Marine Products
The main varieties of fishes and other marine food products available in Goa are :
- Mackerels
- Seer Fish
- Pomfrets
- Prawns
- Sharks
- Sardines
- Kowala Koval (White sardines)
- Sciaenaeids
- Butter fish
- Silver belly
- Soles
- Crabs
- Cuttle fish/squids
Disposal
Methods of Disposal of Marine Fish Catch include:
- Marketed Fish
- Sun Dried Fish
- Salted Fish
- Miscellaneous Including Manure
Overview
The State of Goa with geographical area of around 3200 square kilometres has around 5500 industrial units and 18 industrial estates. With high literacy, well-educated manpower, peaceful environment, good transport and power facilities, Goa is first emerging as one of the best industrial locales in the country. Goa is a haven for eco-friendly industrial units, thus keeping pollution under check and maintaining the natural ambience of the beautiful state. A post-liberated Goa has come a long way from depending on mining as the sole industrial activity. Conscious efforts, both at Government and private levels, have seen Goa diversifying into eco-friendly sectors like electronics, software, automobile accessories, pharmaceuticals, tourism etc, besides developing traditional sectors like agriculture and fisheries and strengthening financial institutions.
Infrastructure
Institutions
The following Central and State government institutions are active in Goa for industrial development:
- THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (EDC) OF GOA, DAMAN & DIU
- THE GOA, DAMAN & DIU INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (GDDIDC)
- THE GOA HANDICRAFTS, RURAL & SMALL SCALE INDUSTRIES DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (GHRSSIDC)
- THE GOA INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (GIDC) THE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BANK OF INDIA (IDBI)
- THE MAHARASHTRA INDUSTRIAL & TECHNICAL CONSULTANCY ORGANISATION (MITCON)
- THE MAHARASHTRA STATE FINANCIAL CORPORATION (MSFC)
- THE NATIONAL SMALL INDUSTRIES CORPORATION (NSIC)
- THE SMALL INDUSTRIES DEVELOPMENT BANK OF INDIA (SIDBI)
- THE SMALL INDUSTRIES SERVICE INSTITUTE (SISI)
Training CentreThe setting up of a CAD CAM Centre and a Tool Room Training Centre (TRTC) with integrated tooling facilities right from tool designing, manufacturing trails and developing equipment besides providing training services in the state are some noteworthy steps in the direction of industrial development.
Overview
Goa is best known as a tourist paradise, both in India and abroad. Lavishly gifted by nature for its scenic beauty, virgin beaches girdling its 105-km long palm-fringed coast interspersed with enchanting coves, bays and estuaries, paddy fields, shady coconut, cashew and mango groves dotted with tiny picturesque villages, temples and churches renowned for worship and pilgrims, forts and monuments and above all, friendly and hospitable people, Goa presents an ideal tourism profile.
Tourism is so prominent that the number of tourists almost equals the number of state population.
Goa attracts almost 12% of total foreign tourists arriving in India. In terms of direct charters, it is 75% of the total direct charter traffic in India. To give a big fillip to hospitality industry in the state, the Department of Tourism has taken multi-pronged strategy involving both private and government organisations.
Organisations
THE DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM
The Department of Tourism, Government of Goa, is instrumental in planning and providing the basic tourist infrastructure and other tourist facilities/amenities as well as promoting Goa as a round the year tourist destination by participating in various tourist related events in India and overseas and through tourist publicity literature and other publications. It also exercises control over hotels and travel trade activities through regulatory measures, under the Goa Registration of Tourist Trade Act, 1982
Over the yars, the tourist arrivals into Goa has grown to about 1.2 millions annually almost corresponding to the population of the State.
The Goa Tourism Development Corporation Limited was set up wayback in 1982 for the sole purpose of running commercial activities of the Departmental including accommodation units, sight-seeing tours and cruises for the benefit of tourists in the low and middle income groups who constitute bulk of the tourist traffic to Goa.
Organisations
THE GOA TOURISM DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (GTDC)
The Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC), set up on 30th March, 1982, looks after the commercial aspects :
ACCOMMODATION: 13 GTDC-run Tourist Hostels with 550 rooms and 1,307 beds.
TRANSPORT: For sightseeing tours by Road Transport, the GTDC has 17 coaches including AC, luxury and mini coaches, with 350 seats. The corporation also runs 1 launch known as Santa Monica, which is very popular for river cruises.
SOUVENIRS: Through Handicrafts Corporation Emporia, the GTDC helps sell of souvenirs like brass items, clay items and shell items, besides items carrying GTDC logo like T-shirts, shorts, candles, books, maps, etc.
PACKAGES: The GTDC has been selling since 1994-1995 complete tour packages through agents in cities like Mumbai, Calcutta, Delhi, etc, which include accommodation, sightseeing, river cruises, gift items, transfers, etc
Acts
Tourism Taxes
Hoteliers, travel trade and tourists have benefited tremendously with the declaration of Tourism as an Industry in Goa. Luxuries provided in a hotel include accommodation and other services / facilities like air conditioning, telephone, telephone, radio, music, entertainment, extra beds and the like, swimming pool, health club, tennis court, golf course and shopping arcade. The luxury tax is governed by the Goa Tax on Luxuries (Hotels and Lodging Houses) Act, 1988. Cooked food and non-alcoholic drinks served or sold in a hotel attract a sale tax from 4% to 12% subject to the Goa Sales Tax Act, 1964 (the 6th schedule, clause V of sub-section 7).
