PANAJI
Political sops have started pouring in Goa. Amid a tide of promises of free power, free water and even free rations for the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, a Congress assembly ticket aspirant in Mandrem, Sachin Parab, has come up with a unique pre-poll SOP.
Parab, son of former Minister Sangeeta Parab, who has been on the periphery of electoral contests in the Mandrem assembly constituency has promised to provide insurance to reporters, as well as other persons involved in "risk-taking" category, which includes electricians, taxi, auto drivers, pilots, coconut pluckers, fisherfolk.
"All reporters from Pernem taluka will also be covered. Reporters have to step out of their homes for their jobs. They cannot work online. They have to work on the field. Reporters are the fourth pillar of democracy. I felt we should think about them," Parab told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday.
"When a person has confidence at the back of the mind, that there will be financial support if they land up in the hospital, or that his family will get some money in case he dies, he has mental peace. That is our effort. If the policyholder meets with accidental death, then the family gets Rs 2 lakh, if the person is hospitalised the insurance cover is up to Rs 1 lakh," Parab also said.
Parab also said that 1,000 such insurance policies will be drawn in the first lot, while adding that the decision was taken in wake of economic hardship caused to the people of the state and Pernem taluka specifically in wake of the pandemic, which has destroyed businesses as well as employment.
"Hospital expenses are an overburden which people will not be able to handle in the pandemic when jobs are lost and businesses are down," Parab said.
Parab also said that while he was aware that such an initiative would help him politically, he added that political advantage was not the only reason for starting the initiative.
"While doing this, there are two intentions. If I contest elections, I know I will stand to benefit. I do not deny that. But I am not doing it purely from an election point of view. Even if the beneficiary of the policy is from an opposing party, or my opponent, and if the person is eligible, then we will cover that person too. There will be no politics over this," Parab said.
