PANAJI
Having a mandate to spearhead techno-feasibility studies and guide government decisions on sick industries, eco-friendly ventures and infrastructure aligned with the “Make in Goa” initiative, the Goa Institution For Future Transformation (GIFT) remains inactive over three years post-formation.
The glaring irony is that no members or consultants are appointed, and no meeting has reportedly been convened.
Sources in the Directorate of Planning, Statistics & Evaluation revealed that no GIFT meetings have been held nor have any officials or consultants been appointed.
“We have no records of names of appointees or minutes of meetings since GIFT was constituted. There’s barely any development since its inception,” the source revealed to The Goan.
When the government constituted GIFT after cabinet approval, it emphasized that GIFT would assist in achieving sustainable development goals and “Vision 2030.” The government also approved the appointment of consultants to prepare study reports on various issues, including funding studies and ensuring the implementation of its recommendations by the relevant departments.
The Chief Minister chairs GIFT, which operates in line with NITI Aayog and is backed by Article 309 of the Constitution of India to attain autonomy.
GIFT was envisioned as a one-stop solution provider, a knowledge and innovation hub. Its functions also included analyzing and suggesting improvements in financial management (including revenue and credit flow), doubling the per capita income to Rs one million by 2025, monitoring the progress of centrally sponsored schemes for timely project completion, studying the viability and suggesting improvements in existing social sector schemes, and advising the government on issues referred by NITI Aayog, etc.
The late chief minister Manohar Parrikar disbanded the State Planning Board effective April 1, 2017 after disbanding the Planning Commission at the national level.
Later, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in his budget speech announced the formation of State Institution for Transforming Goa, which was subsequently renamed GIFT to serve as a knowledge hub for the State by replicating best practices suited for sustainable development.
