PANJIM: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday urged Union Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi and discussed the issue of revocation of passport of Goans acquiring Portuguese citizenship and to look into the issue of Goans facing difficulties in obtaining OCI cards after surrendering their passport.
Sawant along with Law and legislative Affairs Minister Aleixo Sequeira met Lekhi in New Delhi.
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After the meeting, Sawant posted on his X handle, “Met and interacted with the Union Minister of State for External Affairs @M_Lekhi, along with Environment Minister @AleixoASequeira. Discussed on the issue of revocation of passport of Goans acquiring Portuguese citizenship.”
During the recently concluded Assembly session, the Chief Minister has assured the members that the government was sensitive to this issue and that he will take up the matter of revocation of India passports before the Ministry of External Affairs at New Delhi. At the same time, Sawant had stated that the government cannot stop people willing to surrender their Indian passports to register their birth in Portugal since it was individual decision.
The opposition had charged that Goans were compelled to surrender their Indian passports due to lack of employment opportunities, jobs, as well as non-conducive conditions to start their own business such as red-tapism in government administration.
Later, the Chief Minister met NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman K Bery along with Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira.
During the meeting, Sawant informed Bery about the Blended Finance Facility planned by the Goa government with the support of the World Bank for a Climate and Disaster-Resilient Greener Goa project.
The Greener Goa project involves restoration of protective bunds for revival of Khazan areas and revival of socio-economic traditional knowledge-based practices and initiatives in the renewable energy sector, informed Sawant.
