MARGAO
With no news forthcoming on the pension for the retired seafarers and widows, the Goan Seamen Association of India (GSAI) on Friday sought to know whether Chief Minister Pramod Sawant doesn’t have a Goenkar heart and demanded early release of the pension.
GSAI president Frank Viegas further sought to know why lip service is being paid to the seafarer community when assurance was given by Chief Minister Sawant in front of Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao and Nuvem MLA Wilfred D'Sa when GSAI requested to put the issue to rest once and for all by making the Goa welfare pension scheme for seafarers permanent.
He lamented that the government has not renewed the pension scheme for the seafarers. And, he questioned the government for the failure to consider new applications which were submitted to the NRI Commissioner’s office six months ago.
“The new applications have not been considered by the NRI office, leaving the seafarers and widows to keep their fingers crossing over the fate of the scheme, which was started by late Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar”, he added.
“We appeal to the Chief Minister to consider our demands for early release of the pension since he is presiding over the Home portfolio”, he added.
