Aug 8- The controversial Goa Investment Promotion And Facilitation Of Single Window Clearance (Amendment) Bill, 2024 which sought to strengthen the powers of the Goa IPB through a Planning, Development and Construction Committee(PDCC) has been sent to the select committee by the house. The Select Committee will be headed by Industries Minister Mauvin Godinho and will have MLAs Carlos Ferreira, Vijai Sardessai, Nilesh Cabral, Reginald Lourenco, Viresh Borkar, Ganesh Gaonkar and Daji Salkar as members.
Govt claimed that the enhanced powers will help facilitate investment applications through Ease of Doing Business. Opposition raised concerns that the bill will only permit construction of infrastructure under the guise of investment promotion as the committee would will be able to convert land, approve plans, issue construction licences, settle land revenue code cases and collect fees on behalf of all departments. It will be like a ‘State within a state’ alleged opposition further pointing out that the PDCC has only bureaucrats and no public representatives during discussion on the bill.
