MARGAO
All decks were finally cleared for the disbursement of the seafarer pension, but the retired seafarers and widows may not receive the pension before Christmas and will have to look forward to receiving the pension along with arrears before the New Year.
For, while the government had sanctioned Rs 1.75 crore to the office of NRI Affairs to disburse the pension to the retired seafarers and widows, the accounts department transferred the pension amount to the nationalized bank, which is handling the pension account, after banking hours on Friday. Given that Dec 24 is the fourth Saturday of the month, the banks are not working and hence the pension amount may figure in the accounts of the seafarers only after Monday.
Questions are being raised about who’s responsible for the delay in transferring the amount to the nationalized bank when the government had given the sanction to use funds to the tune of Rs 1.75 crore for the pension scheme.
Director of NRI Affairs, Anthony D’Souza, when contacted, pointed out that the government had sanctioned Rs 1.75 crore for the scheme. “After receiving the sanction, the office had sent the proposal to the Accounts department to transfer the amount to the nationalized bank for disbursal of the pension,” he said.
He added: “Somehow, the transfer of the amount could not take place and the Accounts department transferred the amount on Friday evening. By the time, the amount was transferred, the bank was already closed. Given that, Dec 24 is the fourth Saturday, and a holiday for the bank, the seafarers will start receiving the pension in their accounts from Monday. We have already sent a letter to the Bank to disburse the pension once the funds are transferred by the Accounts department.”
D’Souza said since the banks will reopen on Monday, the nationalized bank will start crediting the pension into the accounts of the beneficiaries from next week, adding the beneficiaries will get the pension and the arrears before the New Year.
To a question, the Director of NRI Affairs pointed out that his office has received a communique from the Home department to send a proposal to make the pension scheme permanent.
“Our office had in the past sent a detailed proposal to the government to make the pension scheme permanent. We will again send the proposal at the earliest,” he added.
Vijai, Venzy lock horns on Twitter
MARGAO:
Goa Forward chief Vijai Sardesai and AAP MLA Venzy Viegas on Friday locked horns once again over the pension scheme for the seafarers.
The Goa Forward chief took to Twitter to fire shots at Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on the pension scheme, saying the CM’s note on the seafarer pension scheme exposes his duplicity and deceit in promising to make the scheme permanent.
And, without taking the name of any Opposition MLA, Sardesai further said: “By procuring an opposition MLA to sing his praises, all along, together, they have been cheating our Tarvoti and their families.”
By evening, the AAP Benaulim MLA took to Twitter saying the long wait of Goan seafarers has finally ended with the pension and arears released today.
Without taking any name, Venzy said the lone MLA procured by the BJP in 2017 is now trying to wash his sins. “No Fot Fotting Fottingponna with Tarvoti,” he said in a tweet.
Venzy added: “Now, we wait for technicalities to be sorted for a permanent scheme.”
