Noting on seamen’s file exposes CM deceit: GFP

Panaji: GFP president Vijai Sardesai on Friday said that RTI documents accessed by the party show that a jotting by chief minister Pramod Sawant on a file pertaining to seafarers states that their pension scheme will be extended by six months. Sardesai said this shows that the Goa government has no intention of making the seafarers’ pension scheme permanent.
He said that in late November, NRI Commissioner Narendra Sawaikar had announced that the government was in the process of making the seafarers’ pension permanent.
“Documents accessed by GFP revealed that the government has done in fact taken active steps to delay the process of making the scheme permanent. A jotting by the CM on the file stated that the scheme may be extended for six months and that the chief secretary may take up the issue with the director general, shipping,” Sardesai said, adding that the CM’s lie is now in writing and exposes his deceit in promising to make the scheme permanent.