Goa pharma companies face flak for holding recruitment outside state
Opposition parties in Goa have alleged that the camps being held outside the state was “an attempt to avoid hiring Goans” and an “affront to Goa
Panaji: Pharmaceutical companies, which make up a significant chunk of Goa’s manufacturing sector and a large source of employment, are facing flak for holding recruitment camps outside the state.
Indoco Remedies was forced to cancel a recruitment camp organised at Boisar in suburban Mumbai. The company cited unavoidable circumstances and chief minister Pramod Sawant’s intervention as the reasons behind the cancellation of the recruitment.
On May 22, in a letter addressed to the CM Sawant, Indoco Remedies, which operates a plant at Goa’s Verna Industrial Estate and which had planned to organise walk-in interviews at Boisar on May 24, informed that “due to some avoidable circumstances and your personal intervention” the interviews were being cancelled.
Encube Ethicals is also facing flak from for hosting a walk-in interview drive in Pune.
Opposition parties in Goa have alleged that the camps being held outside the state was “an attempt to avoid hiring Goans” and an “affront to Goa.”
The assurance came after opposition parties led by Goa Forward’s Vijai Sardesai accused the government of reneging on its promise to have Goa-based pharmaceutical companies give first preference to local candidates in their hiring processes.
“Walk-in interviews to be held in Boisar, Maharashtra, for an Indoco Remedies plant in Goa is a deliberate attempt to avoid hiring Goans and an affront to Goa. This absurdity is allowed to happen when Goa’s unemployment rate is higher than the national average,” Sardesai said.
“I had warned the Goa government of pharma companies engaging in such deviousness, both in the (Legislative) Assembly and outside and was assured of strict action. I want the Goa CM to immediately intervene and stand up for Goemkars (Goans) running from pillar to post in search of jobs. If Goans do not benefit from industries in #Goa, why have them here in the first place?” Sardesai said.
The Congress party and the Revolutionary Goans were quick to jump on the bandwagon.
“We demand that the government audit the percentage of Goan employees in all Pharma industries across the state and enforce and ensure 80% jobs for Goans,” Congress’ Sunil Kawthankar said.
However, despite the outrage on Thursday, Encube Ethicals’ recruitment camp came to light.
“The fact that these companies are bold enough to deny employment to Goan youth in their own state shows the Goa government’s indifference towards the job seekers in the state and their forgiving attitude towards these companies. Bring regulation, or create policy, do what must be done to protect the job opportunities that local Goans rightfully deserve,” added Sardesai.
The reservation of jobs for locals has long been a political issue in Goa.
In January this year, Sardesai announced that he would move a Private Members’ Bill – ‘The Goa State Employment of Local Candidates Bill, 2024 Bill’ to push for the cause of reservation of 80% jobs in the private sector for locals.
However, state industries minister Mauvin Godinho, while speaking on the issue, had said the move was practically impossible and instead suggested that the employment of locals be linked to incentives that only those industries that employ locals will be eligible for government concessions.