MARGAO
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s promise in his budget speech to make the pension scheme permanent from this current financial year has not changed the ground reality for the retired seafarers and widows.
In fact, with the permanent pension scheme still not notified by the government till date, questions are being raised on the disbursement of pension for the month of June. For, while the office of NRI Affairs has the necessary funds at its disposal, the office will not be able to credit the pension for the beneficiaries if the permanent scheme for seafarers is not notified in the next few days.
That’s not all. While the Chief Minister’s announcement had raised hopes amongst the seafaring community that the permanent pension scheme will resolve all outstanding issues relating to pension, retired seafarers pointed out that the ground reality remains unchanged for want of a notification notifying the permanent pension scheme.
A large number of seafarers who had retired recently are yet to receive the pension for the simple reason that the scrutiny is yet to be constituted to consider the fresh applications.
Goan Seafarers Association of India (GSAI) President Franky Viegas said seafarers have been anxiously waiting for the pensionary benefits since the permanent scheme has not been notified till date.
“New applicants have been anxiously waiting for the permanent scheme to commence. The NRI department is yet to put the scrutiny committee in place, some of the new applicants forms have already been submitted to the NRI department but the forms are yet to be scrutinised, and due to shortage of new forms of Goa Welfare Pension Scheme for seafarers/widow, many a retired seafarer and widow are yet to apply for the scheme and are eagerly waiting for the new forms to receive from the NRI office,” he said.
He added: “Our seafarers perform one of the toughest jobs in the world by putting in sacrifices and real hard work. As the world is gradually becoming aware of the hard work mariners perform on ships, the difficult financial condition of the industry and the rapidly changing norms and regulations compounded by higher expectations than normal and high levels of stress are forcing many seafarers into distress condition.”
Frank said Goans have been employed as seafarers on cruise liners and merchant navy from time immemorial. “Not all of them earn enough to sustain themselves in old age and are often faced with innumerable hardships. This pension scheme has been financial support to retired seafarers and widows.”
