MARGAO: With Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) Luizinho Faleiro raising the issue of the Centre stopping the ex-gratia scheme of Rs 200 a month to retired seafarers and their widows, many seamen from Goa concurred that the amount itself was a pittance and agreed with Faleiro’s demand for enhancing the amount or coming out with a better scheme.
“Seafarers, in Goa and across India need to get a better post-retirement pension. What Goans get is from the State government but that is very small,” Dixon Vaz, GSAI Founder said.
He said it has to be increased. “However, overall for Indian seafarers, the Government of India, the Shipping Ministry and Director General of Shipping, all need to work harder to safeguard the rights of seafarers,” said Dixon Vaz, Founder of Goa Seamen Association of India (GSAI).
“Today, the seafarer is retired by the age of 60 or 55 if he is medically unfit. If he dies at sea, the whole family collapses. Their future needs to be secure. They need medical help and their families need assistance,” he added.
The seafarer community also appreciated that Faleiro had spoken about their contributions to the economy of the country and to the world during the Covid pandemic.
“This is a national-level issue that affects seafarers all over India. I appeal to the Shipping Ministry to pay attention to this and ensure that our seafarers get a better pension that can provide for them during their retired life,” said Frank Viegas, GSAI President.
Viegas also pointed out that their association has challenged the Union Government’s decision in the High Court of stopping the ex-gratia amount and trying to give a one-time settlement of Rs 12,500.
“We are fighting this case on behalf of retired seafarers and have argued that this one-time settlement should have been at least Rs 1 lakh,” he added.
Other seafarers also referred to the present job crisis at sea.
“Post Covid, the industry is yet to go back to what it was earlier and this has impacted jobs, especially with the senior seafarers, who are not being considered for jobs in place of younger and more inexperienced seafarers. They need to be protected via a post-retirement pension scheme and it has to be higher than Rs 200 a month as no one can survive with that for a month,” said Ryan Gonsalves, a retired seafarer.
“It is important that this issue was raised in Parliament as otherwise the Union Shipping Minister and Director General of Shipping are not bothered about our plight. There should be better policies in place for the welfare of seafarers, especially once they retire but also in situations when there is a medical emergency or even worse loss of life at sea,” Sanket Naik, retired seafarer added.
GSAI secretary Michael Beny further urged Faleiro to ensure that this matter is followed up with the Shipping Ministry so that this matter is taken to its logical conclusion.
Goan seafarers find true voice in Parliament as Luizinho speaks for them
‘Shame’ there’s no system to provide pension to seafarers, Luizinho informs RS
MARGAO: Highlighting the plight of the Goan seafarers in the Upper House of Parliament, Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Luizinho Faleiro on Wednesday urged the Union Shipping Ministry to address the pension-related issues faced by retired seamen and their families in Goa.
Addressing the Rajya Sabha Chairman, Venkaiah Naidu, the Trinamool Congress MP first described how Goa plays host to a significant population of the seafarers community, which he said has made a rich contribution to the shipping industry over the years.
“In fact, it would not be out of place to mention that in certain areas of the State, one would come across every alternate house belonging to the seafaring community,” Faleiro added.
“I am very happy to say that the seafarer community in Goa has made a very immense contribution, not only to the economy of Goa but to the economy of the country, by way of foreign remittance, which is very precious for the country. During Covid-19, we are proud that the Goan seafarers played a stellar role during the pandemic, providing yeoman service by ensuring the movement of goods and cargo across the world,” he added.
He said it pains him that despite all this, the condition of seafarers is very bad because of the overall economic meltdown, due to which there is rampant unemployment.
He lamented that there is hardly any system to give them pension and minced no words in calling it a ‘shame’.
“Sadly, after putting years of hard work and staying away from their near and dear ones during the voyage, the seafarers are a neglected lot. They do not enjoy social benefit schemes, such as pension scheme. The ex-gratia scheme funded by the welfare society, which provided a pittance of Rs 200 per month to the retired seafarers and widows of seafarers all these years, is no longer in existence,” said Faleiro.
The former Chief Minister pointed out that the Goa government had come out with a pension scheme for the retired seafarers and widows, but he observed that the scheme has been implemented in a half-hearted manner, leaving the seafarers in the lurch.
He reiterated that the seafarers during their retirement life certainly deserve a better deal
“Hence, I pray that the Shipping Ministry either revises the ex-gratia relief with an enhanced amount or comes up with a new pension scheme to provide solace and relief to the retired seafarers and widows, so that the seafarers and their families can live a life of honour and dignity for having contributed so immensely to the economy of this country,” Faleiro added.