Cabinet nod for Rs 1 crore annual aid for GoVan processing centres

Panaji: The State Cabinet, on Thursday, approved a proposal to constitute the Goa Livelihood Forum as the implementing agency for the operation, management, maintenance and sustainable development of ‘GoVan’ multi-product processing centres across the state.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that, to support the initiative, the Cabinet has sanctioned financial assistance of Rs 1 crore per annum to ensure uniform, efficient and sustainable functioning of the processing centres.

“This initiative will be under the Goa Biodiversity Board, which will support the packaging and marketing of GoVan products,” he said.

The move is expected to strengthen value addition, rural livelihoods and market support for local products processed through the 10 GoVan centres.

The Cabinet also approved a proposal for execution of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with InstaPe Synergies Pvt Ltd to facilitate salary and pension access services for government employees and pensioners.

“The initiative will provide earned wage access and pension-related advance facilities, enabling beneficiaries to access a portion of

their salary or pension before the scheduled disbursement date during emergencies or urgent financial needs,” said Sawant.

The Cabinet further approved the creation of 23 posts under the Goa Rehabilitation Board to strengthen its administrative and operational framework.

The newly sanctioned posts are expected to improve implementation of rehabilitation and welfare programmes undertaken by the board.

Besides this, the Cabinet also approved engagement of senior neurosurgeon Dr Ponraj Sundaram as a consultant at Goa Medical College for one year after his retirement.

Approval for PG medical admission rules with roster-based reservation

Panaji: A roster-based reservation system for OBC, ST, SC, EWS and PwD students will be implemented for postgraduate courses at Goa Medical College and Hospital. This comes after the state cabinet on Thursday approved the Rules for Admission to Postgraduate Degree Courses at Goa Medical College and Hospital for the academic year 2026-27. The decision is aimed at streamlining the admission process for postgraduate medical courses at the state’s premier medical institution, particularly for students belonging to Other Backward Classes, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said.

After more than six years of sustained efforts, the Rashtriya OBC Mahasangh Goa stated that the Goa Cabinet’s approval of the rules marked a major breakthrough in implementation of a 100-point roster-based reservation system for OBC, ST, SC, EWS and PwD students in postgraduate courses at Goa Medical College and Hospital.

The rules, pending since 2007, are expected to come into force once the Cabinet decision is officially notified. The decision will ensure reservation benefits in highly sought-after clinical postgraduate specialisations, including Radiology, Gynaecology, Cardiology, Neurology, General Surgery, Orthopaedics, Dermatology and ENT, among others.

The Mahasangh described the Cabinet approval as a historic step towards ensuring equitable representation and social justice in higher medical education in Goa.