Team Herald
MARGAO: The Goa Seamen Association of India (GSAI) celebrated the 60th National Maritime Day and organised various programmes including a blood donation camp on the occasion at their office here
NRI Affairs Commissioner, Adv Narendra Sawaikar attended the programme and expressed confidence that the State government would soon issue the appropriate notification and make the pension scheme for retired seafarers permanent.
Sawaikar was referring to the recent announcement made by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in the budget about making the scheme permanent
While recalling how he had met with Goa Seamen Association of India when it had just formed more than a decade ago, Sawaikar pointed out that their first discussions were about the pension scheme
He added that he is happy to note that the State of Goa is the only State in the country that provides a pension of Rs 2,500 to the retired seafarers/widows.
Sawaikar also thanked the Goan seafarers for their rich contribution to the economic growth to the State and Country and touched upon the sacrifices the seafarers make by heading out to sea for months to earn their livelihood for their families back home.
Earlier, GSAI Vice President Gabriel Pinto also thanked the CM for the recent announcement in the budget and also expressed hope that the bill will be passed soon and the scheme will finally be made permanent.
Goa Seamen Association of India President Frank Viegas concurred with what the NRI Commissioner had stated and said the seafarers and the work they do in the shipping industry are the ‘wheels of the economy’.
