Placement of Feni in Duty-Free Shops
It is my vision (as Chairperson GFDC) and continuous efforts to promote the Goa Cashew Industry and scale it to new heights drawing parallels in our achievements with other sectors. Our heritage beverage, GI tagged Cashew Feni, has the potential to be positioned similar to Scotch from Scotland, Tequila from Mexico and Sake from Japan.
I once again seek your kind intervention and support to place Goan Cashew Feni in the duty-free shop at the Goa Mopa Airport and also at various international airports in India viz. Mumbai, Delhi and other metropolitan cities and also ensure prominent visibility.
We must make our unique heritage product readily available for purchase in all the duty-free shops across India.
Feni & Urraca
As the cashew industry is growing, all aspects of value addition related to cashew needs to be addressed.
I request the Hon. Minister for Excise to kindly conduct a study which will help prescribe and set standards for Urraca viz. expiry date (shelf life) in order to ensure that Urraca can be bottled in the state of Goa.
The Feni Policy states that a Competency Assessment Board (CAB) must be constituted under the Chairmanship of the Excise Commissioner and notified in order to certify GI Cashew Feni.
This will ensure that top quality GI Cashew Feni are sold in bottles. For GI Cashew Feni to be successful, we need CAB to protect the cashew industry from fly-by-night operators, who wants to make quick money, without caring about the quality or honesty of the service they provide, under the garb of GI.
DR DEVIYE RANE’S DEMANDS ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Information and Publicity
It is a proud moment for us that the Goan Cashew has been GI tagged by the Government of India, which will promote and protect the unique goodwill identity of Goan Cashews from infringement.
Certain shops are selling imported cashew nuts as local Goan Cashew nuts. This is a serious concern and needs to be properly investigated by the concerned authority (FDA), as Goan Cashew nuts are unique in flavour, texture, and taste specific to our geographical location and needs to be protected from dealers involved in such alleged illegal sales.
There is a need for the Government to ensure proper labelling and quality assurance in order to maintain the premium status of Goan cashew nuts, which are sold @ Rs. 700 per kilo compared to Rs. 400-450 per kilo for imported varieties. Uniqueness and superior quality of Goan Cashew nuts need to be highlighted through an aggressive awareness campaign.
I request the Hon. Minister for Information & Publicity to collaborate with the Departments of FDA, Tourism, and Agriculture on an awareness campaign for G.I. Goan Cashew nuts. This multi-sectoral collaboration for an awareness campaign will boost the local and tourist markets.
DR DEVIYA RANE’S DEMANDS ON SKILL DEVELOPMENT
ITI Honda infrastructure needs to be expanded and upgraded in order to introduce the new-age courses, which are in high demand, as per latest HR guidelines.
Proposed new-age courses:
• Advanced CNC Machining
• Solar Technician (Electrical)
• Stenographer Secretarial Assistant (English)
• Food Production (General)
• Physiotherapy Technician
ITI Honda would need a new building comprising of a Hall with sitting capacity for 800 students and class rooms, laboratories, etc. to start the above new-age courses.
Civil works to the existing building of Institute to be carried out on priority:
• Renovation of Canteen Block.
• Roof (galvalume sheets) over the building to prevent leakages.
• Construction of internal roads in the campus.
• Renovation of Workshops (RAC & Electronics).
• Construction of a transformer yard.
• Replacing asbestos sheets of the Workshop with galvalume sheets.
• Repair of the flooring of the Workshop.