Life's Better In Goa

The news that Goa is the richest state in India came as no surprise. I lived there for a few years and traveled around a fair bit – and never did I encounter the grinding poverty we see everywhere else in India.

One reason is that Goans don’t depend on their government for much. The report highlights the fact that Goans rely on private sector medical facilities. This was true even of the rural district of Canacona, where I lived. We had 2 private hospitals, and everyone went there.

Goans are also blessed with roads – although they are too narrow. And the central government’s “notional highway” going through the state sucks big time. But every village is connected with a motorable road. Roads matter greatly in reducing rural poverty and distress. Note: Buses are all private.

Further, Goa is highly urbanized. The tiny state has over 30 urban clusters, run by over a dozen municipalities. Unfortunately, these are not doing a good job. The state has enormous potential as real estate – but what is happening today is urban overcrowding. Even the tiny market town of Canacona district, Chaudi, bang on the NH17, is overcrowded, dirty and ugly. And all around are vast open spaces and verdant hills: the “unreal estate” that we see all over India. But rapid urbanization, as opposed to “rural development,” is one of the factors that have made Goa rich. Of course, they could be much richer.

One of the strange things I noticed about South Goa is that police stations are all miles out of town. The Canacona police station is miles and miles south of Chaudi. There is little police presence anywhere. Weeks, even months, can go by without encountering a policeman. Apart from the couple of unarmed guys who desperately try to make sense of the traffic at Chaudi – a town whose Main Street is NH17. Heavy traffic. Notional highway. Very unsafe. Two tax-funded cops.

Yes, their The State provides “education,” and Goans score high on literacy, but a scandal broke out recently when their education minister was found to have lied about his academic record. He claimed to be a graduate, whereas he was only a Class 5 pass! Their government education system is only about literacy. Nothing higher than that.

Goa is Goa, of course, because of the Goans, who are smart, peace-loving, and entrepreneurial. Tourists love Goa because of its atmosphere of freedom and fun, and a vibrant cosmopolitanism. Cultures and religions meet here; they do not clash.

And there is more freedom in Goa than anywhere else in India. Goa has casinos – but the cops hate “rave parties.” I think their government should step back a lot more. Tourists are a mainstay of the economy. They say one tourist creates 12 local jobs. And tourists come to have fun; to enjoy a holiday. If rave parties and hash cafes are allowed to flourish, I am sure more tourists will arrive. Even in the monsoon: smoke a joint and watch the lovely rain.

Those who have been to Goa must have enjoyed hanging around in the “shacks” on the beaches. These shacks are at the cutting-edge of Goa’s hospitality industry. And they don’t have property titles. Indeed, in much of coastal Goa, property titles are a bit of a mess. If this is fixed, the “mystery of capital” will be unlocked, and Goans will prosper like never before.

There is also a nasty piece of central legislation that is being enforced on the beaches, called the Coastal Zone Regulation Act. It bars permanent constructions near the shoreline. So there is more “unreal estate.” Fisherfolk, whose beachside properties are worth millions today remain poor. Note that nothing can prevent the sea from eroding the coast. What else is a beach but eroded rocks? What is the business of the central government from On High to legislate on local property matters. These should be decided at the local level.

Goans should unite to throw the central government out of their state. They should build a new highway through their state on their own. They should refuse to implement the CRZ Act. The central government is doing nothing for Goa. Indeed, Goan wines, beers and fenis (there are over 100 brands) are not allowed to be sold anywhere else in India. Why be "loyal subjects" of such a repressive State?

And why not institute unilateral free trade. Declare Goa a free port. Duty-free shopping will bring in even more tourists. Doesn’t it sound better than exporting iron ore?

Think about it.