Rupesh Samant

Panaji, Jul 7: Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has said that their focus would be on small traders who are driving the state’s economy.

Newly elected GCCI President Manoj Caculo said that the chamber will now provide special attention towards the woes of small time traders in the State and will be their voice.

Caculo took over as the President of the apex industrial body on July 01 after he was elected unanimously for this post by the members.

“GCCI is the apex industry body in Goa and to head that is prestigious position. I feel that I am lucky to have been chosen to head it. We have members from small time businessmen to biggest of mining industries,” he said.

“During my tenure I want to include everybody. Earlier entire focus was only on tourism or mining sector and the small trading community was feeling that they were being sidelined,” Caculo said.

“I want to focus on their problems and be their voice before the authorities. The chamber can be their voice,” he added.

Caculo said that the small traders in Goa are here to grow. “When they will grow, the economy of Goa will grow.”

When asked about the crisis on the mining industry, Caculo said that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has began working on solving the issue on war footing.

“But the issue needs to be solved on priority.

As an industry body, we can do very little to ensure resumption of mining industry. Mining industries are employing hundreds of people whom they have retained,” he said.

“But they will not be able to pay their salaries for indefinite period. So it is high time that the mining should start,” Caculo added.

On the issue of ease of doing business, he said that the investors are facing issues despite state government having special purpose vehicle Investment Promotion Board to ensure that the clearances are given through single window.

“Unfortunately, till now ease of doing business is only on paper. IPB was supposed to be single window but it is everything except single window,” he commented.

“CM has promised that he is going to revamp this whole thing. He has said that the industrial bodies would be given representation on the board,” he added.