NT Reporter
Panaji
Industries Minister Mauvin Godinho on Thursday told off the Goan pharmaceutical industry for slow response to the revival of container services at the Mormugao Port in Vasco.
Godinho urged companies to change their mindset and transport goods from the Mormugao port.
At a trade meet organised in Panaji by Delta Ports Mormugao Terminal Pvt Ltd and the Mormugao Port Authority (MPA), he said, “I am surprised more efforts did not come from the local pharma companies for using the newly created modern, upgraded container infrastructure at the port.”
The government expects Rs 11 crore in savings in logistics costs if containers for export-import are moved from within the state. “Why should companies take their cargo all the way to Mumbai and incur additional cost for transportation which is a huge journey when the facility is now available in Goa?” he questioned.
Godinho said ease in logistics is important for businesses. “Give us your plan on how you propose to use the newly available container service and the government will do all that is needed to address the difficulties,” he said. The minister said many individuals are taking up storage (warehouse) space in the state, foreseeing future demand for logistics infrastructure.
On the local taxi drivers’ opposition to app-based services, Godinho, who is also the Minister for Transport said, “Transportation is a big problem here, particularly for taxis, but even Goans (industry members) are resistant to change.”
The minister spoke at the trade meet briefly before rushing off to the Raj Bhavan at Dona Paula to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Digambar Kamat and Ramesh Tawadkar, who were inducted into the cabinet on Thursday.
Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) chairman Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, who was present at the event, emphasised the pivotal role of logistics in industrial growth and assured full support from GIDC towards enabling efficient supply chains.
Earlier during the trade meet, GIDC managing director Pravimal Abhishek drew attention to 12% of India’s pharmaceutical exports, which are from Goa. “About 300 tonnes of cargo emissions can be mitigated by companies choosing to transport from Vasco,” he said. “Logistics cost, which is a major expenditure for MSME units in the state, will come down if they use the facilities in the Goan landscape,” said Abhishek.
