PANAJI
The Goa Cabinet on Thursday granted post-facto approval for a payment of Rs 9.77 crore to Wellness Forever Chemists and Lifestyle Stores, the company engaged by the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) for the supply of medicines.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the payment covers supplies made to GMC between April and October this year. The decision regularises expenditure already incurred and ensures continuity in the availability of essential medicines at the State’s premier healthcare institution.
In another decision, the Cabinet approved the filling of several posts in GMC on a contract basis. These include two Assistant Professors in Oncology and one post each in the Physiology and Anatomy departments. Sawant said the appointments are aimed at strengthening teaching and medical services at the institution, which caters to thousands of patients daily.
The Cabinet also cleared the creation of 23 categories of posts for the new Veterinary and Animal Science College, which is expected to begin operations from the next academic year. A total of 125 posts, including professors, have been sanctioned across these categories. Sawant said the move is part of the government’s plan to expand higher education opportunities in specialised fields and meet the growing demand for veterinary and animal sciences in the State.
In yet another unrelated decision, the Cabinet decided to extend the exemption of road tax for trucks engaged in the transportation of iron ore. The exemption, which has been in place since the mining ban, will continue to provide relief to truck owners who have faced financial distress.
