PANAJI
The Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday said that it was shocking that 1,740 seafarers under the new pension scheme were not paid their pension as they had not submitted their life certificates, according to a press note.
In the press note, stating that approximately 2,454 seafarers have dues pending since October, AAP leader Capt Venzy Viegas demanded that all dues under the retired seafarers pension scheme from October 2019 till May 2021 be cleared before elections.
Capt Viegas stated that it was shameful that despite all its resources the government could not send officers to the homes of the seafarers to get their certificates made, especially considering the pandemic. He also demanded that 2021 retired seafarers pension scheme should be made permanent and new retired seafarers should be allowed to register towards the scheme, states the press note.
“It is shocking that the government did not think of reaching out to the 1,740 seafarers who could not submit their life certificates. The fact is that these are all senior citizens and at risk groups who may not be able to complete bureaucratic procedures. Just like the Kejriwal government, AAP in Goa will visit the houses of these excluded seafarers and help get them their life certificates,” Capt Viegas further stated.
“The seafarers of Goa have been suffering during the lockdown, first due the pandemic and subsequent shipping. This distress is doubled for retired seafarers due to callousness and bureaucratic red tape,” Capt Viegas added in the press note.
