Porvorim: Chief minister Pramod Sawant assured the House to expedite the process of establishing a Mati Kala Board to safeguard the interest of clay artisans in Goa, who are into making of idols. Sawant said that govt had already planned such a board, responding to the demand by Mayem MLA Premendra Shet, who is himself part of a family of clay idol making artisans.Shet said that traditional clay idol makers are not receiving the required support, which he said is leading to their trade and art fading. He said that this is also leading to the local markets being flooded by PoP idols during Ganesh Chaturthi from other states.The legislator said that this is not only hitting the traditional idol makers but also leading to environmental hazard for Goa.Poriem MLA Deviya Rane, during Zero Hour, said that several industrial units have been set up in Sattari but they are only providing jobs to outsiders, while local youth from Sattari are taken only on temporary basis.The CM assured to look into pushing the ACGL unit in Sattari to employ locally.Meanwhile, industries minister Mauvin Godinho, based on Deviya’s query, assured to release Rs 8 crore collected from industries to the respective 21 panchayats and three municipalities where they operate.Bicholim MLA Chandrakant Shetye also asked the minister to expedite setting up of new units in Latambarcem. He said it has been one year since plots were auctioned but no development has taken place.
