Goa IT Professionals tell State Government to have its priorities right in the troubled times of COVID-19 Crisis

Prakash Kàmat

Panaji, August 2- In the current troubled circumstances, while every government in the world is exercising restraint on expenditure, it is disheartening to see crores of rupees being earmarked for projects such as facelift of the Assembly, construction of Memorials, Raj Bhavan, convention centers, Panchayat ghars, etc., says Goa IT Professionals(GITP)group of IT professional from Goa in a letter publicly addressed to Goa government.

Dear officials of Govt. of Goa,

these surely can’t be the priorities in these difficult times. Entrepreneurs and businesses in the State are reeling under extreme pressures to survive through the pandemic induced slags. Lack of basic infrastructure like connectivity and power is making matters worse for technology dependent businesses. Goa continues to rank behind in Ease of Doing Business for lack of a single-window system.  Academic systems in the State are on the verge of crumbling down as the State, despite being one of the early starters in setting up IT and connectivity infrastructures and spending crores on doing it, has failed miserably to provide a viable online alternative to physical teaching and learning systems. 

Industries are closing down or retrenching staff. Tourism sector and all other allied industries have taken a big hit. Roads and transport systems in the state are in very bad shape. Common man is struggling to survive the  Pandemic and is desperately looking for alternatives. On this backdrop, the least that can be expected from the government is judicious spending of the exchequer's money by setting the priorities right.

Certainly the Goa government is aware of these issues that have been aptly highlighted in the media. Hard earned money of citizens, paid as taxes cannot be washed away for luxuries, extravaganza, miscellaneous and non-priority infrastructure.  

We sincerely urge the government to instead invest the money in the future of Goa by improving connectivity in the state and setting up the long overdue single-window system for investment so that we see jobs being created and people earning a respectable living.

(Goa IT Professionals – GITP | www.goaitpro.org | goaitp@gmail.com

Important links: About GITP | GITP on Social Network | GITP Core Team | Goa Skills Registry - GSR | Project GEIT)