The committee has also called for merger of all state co-operative banks, on the lines of the recent merger of major nationalised banks “pointing to the existence of scale economies in the functioning of th ese critical financial institutions”. The report also urges the Government to step up and make efforts to attract MNCs keen to exit China and attract them to Goa. “In view of the global trade war between China and few other nations, and the post-Covid-19 shift in global sentiment away from China, there is a likelihood of some leading MNCs trying to shift their supply chain out of China,” the report states.

“While the Indian Government will make attempts to attract some of these investments, it is strongly recommended that the Goa Government lobbies very hard to attract a few to Goa. Ideally, we should look at ‘Mothership Company’ coming to Goa along with its entire supply chain,” it adds. Double tracking of the Konkan Railway route, starting a Goa-Mumbai boat service, promotion of the upcoming Mopa Greenfield airport in North Goa and an integrated taskforce for planning, transportation and infrastructure would also yield benefits for the state vis a vis tourism, manufacturing and logistics sectors, the report states.