GTDC’s poor residency

“A heaven away from home” is what Goa Tourism DevelopmentCorporation (GTDC) promises tourists, who visit its official website seekinginformation about accommodation in the State.

GTDC has many properties near the beach belt and at somebeautiful locales, offering room space to tourists visiting the State.

But despite its money spinning potential, year after yearGTDC’s balance sheet shows a deficit and the department finds it difficult tomaintain many of its properties.

The corporation was formed in 1982 with an aim to providereasonable accommodation to tourists.

Some of the GTDC properties have been making substantialprofits during the “season” but more than 50 percent of its income is spent tomaintain properties that are faring poorly.

Since most of the monies are spent on staff salaries andother expenses, the department is left with no funds to expand and develop itsproperties.

GTDC officials say that the department takes pains tomaintain residencies which are generating high income but fails to reviveneglected properties which are located in remote areas like Tambdisurla andSelaulim.

The tourism department had handed around 6750 square metersof land with restaurant cum accommodation facilities at Tambdisurla to GTDC in2008.

Today the place has turned into haunted premises.

Similarly another property admeasuring 13,200 square metersat Selaulim also handed over to GTDC in 2008 lies in a state of neglect.

“We acknowledge that some of our properties at variousplaces were neglected, but it was merely due to lack of funds. Having no optionthe board has now decided to lease out these premises to private parties for aperiod of 21 years,” said general manager marketing of GTDC, Sanjay Chodankar.

He hoped past mistakes will not be repeated and things willchange for better.

Just like Tambdisurla and Salaulim GTDC have other primeproperties which too are neglected despite the same being located near thebeach belt of Anjuna, Vagator and Baga.

GTDC has no option but to lease out these premises too.

“To develop better and new infrastructure facilities we needfunds. More than 50 percent of our income is spent, as operating expenses whichincludes staff salary, maintenance charges and bills payment,” said GTDCGeneral Manager Finance, D B Sawant.

Private hoteliers keep only 20 percent of their total incomeas operating expenses and thereby generate more income, Sawant added.

“Naturally the department is starved for funds,” Sawantsaid.

Most GTDC officials acknowledge that the department iscapable and has enough potential to expand.

Sources in the department said that government hasn’t beenable to GTDC is actually shrinking its business opportunity and thereby forcedto lease out its properties or neglect the same.