Panaji: The state cabinet on Wednesday approved setting up of a Medical Device Park at Verna to be sponsored by the central government. The park will be set up under a scheme of the Centre, which proposes to support ‘Make in India’ initiative and provide world-class products at affordable price for treatment. The scheme provides grant-in-aid to four Medical Device Parks in the country, with a maximum limit of Rs 100 crore per park or 70 per cent of the project cost of common infrastructure facilities, whichever is less.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant informed that Goa has already applied for this park, and if selected, the same would come up at Verna.
Meanwhile, a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for this proposed park has been sent to the Centre for consideration. In September 2020, the state cabinet had appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers to prepare a DPR for setting up of the park at Verna.
The Centre had invited proposals from states for setting up the Medical Device Park, with four states to qualify for the same. Goa, along with Gujarat, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh are competing for the same.
The cabinet also decided to set up a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Authority company under the department of finance to take up various activities under CSR. This government company will allow the private companies to invest their CSR funds into it for various projects.
The Chief Minister said that presently the government can accept funds from private companies only under disaster management and not for other public benefit activities. “The CSR certificates can be given to private firms through this company,” he added, pointing out that such government companies exist in states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
Furthermore, the cabinet gave an extension to director of health services Dr Jose D’Sa by extending his service term for a year, until the post is filled.
The Chief Minister informed that the One Time Settlement (OTS) scheme of the power department has been extended for another month. “Although we have received limited response for this scheme, people are still enquiring about it,” he added.
The state cabinet, however, deferred the decision as regards implementation of the amended Motor Vehicle Act with new fines and penalty structures, in the state. The Secretary for Transport had placed the note regarding implementing this Act, before the cabinet on Wednesday.
