Panaji: State govt has decided to develop the Goa Green MSME Index (GGMI) and the Goa Green Credits (GGC) Framework for industrial estates to provide a performance benchmarking and policy support tool for assessing the environmental sustainability of MSMEs.Goa Energy Development Authority (GEDA) submitted a detailed proposal to the directorate of industry, trade and commerce (DITC), with approach and methodology, implementation strategy, indicative incentives for MSME units, project timelines, etc., for the formalisation of the collaboration with DITC for developing a Green Index for Industrial Estates.Govt of India, through the World Bank-supported Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) programme, aims to enhance the competitiveness, resilience and sustainability of the MSME sector.In Goa, DITC is implementing the state-level RAMP initiatives to strengthen industrial ecosystems, promote innovation and integrate sustainability into MSME operations.Recognising that MSMEs play a crucial role in the state’s economic growth but often face challenges in adopting green practices, the RAMP programme emphasises the “greening of MSMEs” through targeted interventions such as water and energy audits, development of a Green Index, and establishment of a Green Credit Model.Goa’s industrial estates are central to the state’s industrial output but are also under increasing pressure to align with sustainable and low-carbon development pathways.The Green Index initiatives are designed to complement each other. While the Green Index provides a performance benchmarking and policy-support tool for assessing the environmental sustainability of MSMEs, the Green Credit Model creates a market-based incentive mechanism that rewards improved environmental performance.Together, these initiatives will build the foundation for data-driven, incentive-linked greening of Goa’s MSME sector, aligning with the Goa Industrial Growth and Investment Promotion Policy, 2022,” a senior govt officer said.The Green Indexing Framework proposes the design and implementation of GGMI as a digital-first, Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV)-backed benchmarking system for MSMEs operating within Goa’s industrial estates.The GGMI will function as a standardised mechanism to measure, report, verify and classify MSME environmental performance across key sustainability parameters in a transparent, explainable and scalable manner.
