GCCI BULLETIN AUGUST 2021
23RD SEPEMBER 2021
Dear Members,
The month of August has seen good activity at the Chamber. The International Webinar on Farmer Producer Organisations – FPOs organized by the GCCI Agriculture& Food Processing Committee was a huge success with more than 150 participants. National & international speakers of repute spoke about their vast experience of being part of FPOs and how collectively FPOs can wield great influence in producing and marketing agriculture products.
Agriculture which was the primary economy of Goa had slowly been relegated to the fringes. However, lately, there is a renewed interest in Agriculture with many mining dependents who have lost their jobs having ken up agriculture. It is heartening to see that many youngsters and others who have lost jobs post covid have also plunged themselves into farming. Goa would do well to learn from other states and other countries as well on how to better our practices. Webinars such as these help in building bridges across countries to understand best practices in the field. I urge our members to attend such webinars which are conducted by Chamber from time to time and also inform family and friends so that information and knowledge can be shared with our people.
GCCI Women’s Wing through its Women’s Facilitation Cell held its Meet the Council ‘ this month. Self Help Groups from Calangute were encouraged to attend. They were made aware of different finance schemes available to women entrepreneurs through EDC and banks. FDA officials also educated the women entrepreneurs on food safety procedures. Interestingly they explained how FDA has now made registration of a food business easy. It is now an online procedure with licenses also being issued online.
Women are 50% of the population. They must be encouraged to participate in the economic activity of a state. GCCI has been at the forefront to encourage women in business. It has been a continuous process.
Chamber had invited the North Goa Collector, Mr. Ajit Roy to the Secretariat. He informed the Secretariat that GCCI had been the first state to lift the lockdown last year and that Goa was cited nationally as an example of a state moving ahead after the covid crisis. Let us now be at the forefront to take appropriate steps to revive tourism also.
Recently we met the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Dr. Pramod Sawant to press our demand to make an immediate announcement for the opening of international tourist charters from October. This will give foreign operators time to market and prepare for the operations for the coming season. We have also suggested that strict SOPs for all tourists including complete vaccination, negative RTPCR test reports being done within 72 hours of travel should be implemented. In the unfortunate case of a third wave, the announcement of the cancellation can be done later in September or October. The idea is that we should be fully geared to start the forthcoming tourist season.
The industry Chamber delegation had a pleasant surprise in store when they met the new MD for Goa-IDC Mr. Meklaya Chaitanya Prasad. A young newcomer was already abreast of the deficiencies in the industrial estate and the predicaments faced by the industrialists. He had done his homework. A very meaningful interaction was followed by the MD showing his interest in visiting the Chamber and meeting the industry committee. A very positive outcome indeed.
To ease the pain points of the over-stressed MSME sector, GCCI organized a webinar in association with the Reserve Bank of India & ASSOCHAM on MSME Finances. The webinar provided information on financial support to the MSME sector in Goa which is affected by the Covid Pandemic. The GCCI Industry Committee is also in the process of setting up a Facilitation Cell to help the MSME fraternity to obtain low interest & hassle-free finance for capital as well as revenue expenditure.
On the logistics front, the GCCI logistics Committee has made a representation to resolve the issue of stopping the Container Line feeder service at MPT to support the feeder service operator, all container line exporters, and importers, customs brokers association.
This is the second year where the gloom of pandemics continues to surround us and life is far from normal. In this festive season may the blessings of Lord Ganesha be with all of us and alleviate the prevailing uncertainties from our lives and bless each one off with good health.
I take this opportunity to sincerely wish you and your family a very Happy Ganesh Chaturthi. May joy and happiness be yours in years to come.
Warm regards,
Ralph de Sousa
ABOUT GGCI
Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) is Goa’s premier non-profit business, support-services and networking organization. We represent and liaise with SME’s, Corporate Organisations and Government bodies.
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