MARGAO
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal has said the Centre is conscious of the need for continuous up-skilling and welfare of the seafarers to alleviate the hardships of seamen and their families.
He was replying to a starred question tabled by Rajya Sabha MP Luizinho Faleiro on issues plaguing the Indian seafarers and the steps initiated by the government to mitigate their hardships through schemes.
The minister pointed out that the government has taken various measures from time to time for the welfare of seafarers. He informed that the government has received representations from some of the unions/associations viz. Goan Seamen Association of India (GSAI), National Union for Seafarers of India (NUSI), Sailors Union of India (SUI), Retired Merchant Navy Sailors Association of India (RMNSAI), besides MP Luizinho Faleiro, suggesting welfare measures.
He listed a host of measures taken by the government to alleviate the hardships and difficulties of seafarers and their families, including the ratification of Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC).
The minister further pointed out that the Central government through its organisations such as Seamen Provident Fund Organisation (SPFO) and Seafarers Welfare Fund Society (SWFS) has implemented various schemes for the welfare of seafarers and to ease the hardships faced by the seafarers and their families.
The various schemes being implemented by these organizations include the Provident Fund scheme, survival benefit scheme, invalidity benefit scheme, maternity benefit scheme for female seafarers, old age benefit welfare scheme, family benefit welfare scheme, SWFS-Novel coronavirus assistance scheme, and ex-gratia assistance on death.
In addition, the reply pointed out that various seafarer hostel/club/welfare centres have been established and functioning at the various port cities across the country like Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Cochin, Port Blair, Haldia, Kandla, Kakinada, Gangavaram and Paradip which function under the supervision of the Mercantile Marine Departments.
The Minister pointed out that due to the continuous reformative and progressive steps taken by the government, the number of Indian seafarers employed in the calendar year 2022 reached the level of 2,44,063 on the national and international fleet as compared to 1,17,090 in the calendar year 2014.
“The tonnage under the Indian flag has also reached over 13.6 million tonnes with 1,516 ships under the Indian flag as compared to tonnage of 10.4 million tonnes with 1,213 ships in the year 2014 which led to the increase in the number of employment opportunities for seafarers,” he added.
