Panaji: The state cabinet on Thursday approved the appointment of Goa Livelihood Forum (GLF) as the implementing agency for the operation, management, maintenance and sustainable development of GoVan multi-product processing centres (MPCs), along with a hefty financial sanction of Rs 1 crore.The Goa state biodiversity board (GSBB) launched the GoVan initiative, to promote conservation of biodiversity through livelihood interventions.The project aims to encourage value addition to local bio-resources, generate sustainable livelihoods especially for underprivileged rural women, and strengthen biodiversity-based enterprises across the state.The GoVan project is guided and monitored by the central project steering and management committee (CPSMC) that is chaired by the chief minister.At present, the MPCs are managed by a project management unit comprising of six staff members, including two project managers for North and South Goa.Govt felt the need to hire a professional agency to ensure efficient operations,considering the statewide spread of the centres, the scale of operations, the need to manage a large women workforce at the grassroots level, and to ensure compliance with FSSAI/FDA norms, labour laws, safety standards and quality control protocols.The GoVan initiative, which was launched by the GSBB, aims to encourage value addition to local bio-resources, generate sustainable livelihoods especially for underprivileged rural women, and strengthen biodiversity-based enterprises across the state
