Panaji, May 19 (IANS): The Congress has alleged that the Investment Promotion Board (IPB) of the Goa government is nothing but a money-making tool and only takes 'commissions' by selling land of the coastal state to outsiders.

The Congress criticised the BJP government, after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced that IPB has approved 10 industrial projects worth Rs 347.93 crore, paving the way for 3,495 employment opportunities.

Addressing a press conference, Goa Congress chief Amit Patkar said that the government even failed to provide jobs to locals under the initiative of IPB.

"The reality is that out of 8,073 employees, only 55 Goans have been employed in the last few years," Patkar said, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the state government have failed to keep their employment promises.

"It is my charge that under the IPB they sell land of Goa to outsiders, there is no benefit to locals. This is all Jumla. They bring industries, take commission and (then) those industries never come into reality," Patkar alleged.

"It is nothing but a Jumla Sarkar, it's a money-making racket," Patkar said.

"Goa is at the top rank when it comes to unemployment. The BJP government promised creation of employment, but never fulfilled it. They are hoodwinking the youth of the state," he said.

Congress Media Cell Chairman Amarnath Panjikar said that IPB has never benefited the youths of Goa.

"We don't object to IPB, but the way scams are going on and the fixing is done, we object to that," Panjikar said.

The Congress leader said that the BJP government had spent Rs 3.10 crore on Mega Job Fair, where almost 21,000 youth registered but only 576 candidates got jobs.

He said that former Chief Minister late Manohar Parrikar had established IPB in 2014 stating, there would be single window clearance to ease the business. "However, it never benefitted locals," he added.