Team Herald
PANJIM: The State Cabinet on Friday approved a proposal to set up the Goa Institution for Future Transformation (GIFT) on the lines of NITI Aayog, to assist, advise and guide the State government in policy making and formulation, implementation, monitoring of sustainable development goals and evaluation of various development plans, programmes and schemes.
Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant said that GIFT was set up long ago but it was not activated.
Then Chief Minister late Manohar Parrikar had disbanded the State Planning Board with effect from April 1, 2017 after disbanding of the Planning Commission at the national level.
Later, Sawant in his budget speech had announced the formation of the State Institution for Transforming Goa (SIT-Goa) later renamed as GIFT, which will also serve as a knowledge hub to the State replicating best practices which are suited for the sustainable development of the State.
The functioning of GIFT will be on par with the NITI Aayog and will be backed up with Article 309 of the Constitution of India for attaining autonomy.
The cabinet also granted ex-post facto approval for printing of 4000 copies of a book on the life and of former Chief Minister late Manohar Parrikar, who passed away in March 2019.
