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Dear Netizens,
KIndly offer your suggestions for necessary further
action.
NRI’s- WHAT THE GOA GOVERNMENT CAN DO.
Introduction:Non-resident Indians of Goan origin are
settled mainly in Africa, Australia, Brazil, Canada,
France, Karachi, New Zealand, Portugal, UK, USA,UAE
etc; There are others who are sea-farers on the oceans
of the world.They are either with or without requisite
educational/professional/technical qualifications
which could otherwise qualify them for employment in
India in Central/State Government, autonomous bodies,
public or private sector.Reasons for emigration is a)
high remunerative employment prospects b) to join
families for permanent settlement c) for studies d)
marriage e) etcEmigration era comprises, those
migrated in pre- Liberation and those in post
–Liberation mainly after the oil embargo of 1974 to
the UAE. EMIGRATIONRecruitment agencies-There is a
Central law in place, to regulate recruitment etc.,
yet, unscrupulous recruiting agents are successful in
duping job seekers. The lengthy litigation, often
well beyond ones lifetime,abetment of law enforcing
authorities dissuade the victims from filingcomplains.
Passport/Visa/CDC _Harrowing experience at the
Passport issuing office. Requirements of multiple
documents, ECNR or ECR erroneously stamped. insistence
of employers certificates even from private
organizations. CDC -applicants have to run to Director
General of Shipping at Mumbai, time and again.
Medicals is done in Mumbai alone. These could be done
in Goa now that we are a full fledged State. Visa
requirements are considered only at respective
Consulate offices in Mumbai . There is no
Protectorate of Emigration office in Goa, hence the
bee line to Mumbai SENSE OF INSECURITYLien on
employment :Able bodied persons in age group of 18 to
45 cannot easily find jobs in Goa India .Government
and some private sector organizations have schemes
to provide lien on their employment in India to those
in employment and seeking opportunities abroad but
they are not implemented in letter and spirit.
Self employment :Immigration procedures are being
tightened by foreign countries. Amnesty schemes
announced result in large scale deportation of NRIs
but there are no exclusive schemes by Economic
Development Corporation, Rural Development Agency
POST MIGRATION :The NRI invariably toil with the sweat
of their brow to improve the quality of life of their
next of kin. Economic prosperity brings change in life
style, living standards and higher aspirations of the
NRIs. There is a desire to create immovable assets
or set-up business or both.Present job contracts are
of one two years. The visits to India are short
periods ranging from 45 days to 90 days.
Acquisition of land/apartments/construction of
homes/farms -NRIs have been subject to time consuming
running around from offices of sub-registrars , survey
, revenue, Town and Country Planning, Planning
Development Authorities, village panchayats and
municipalities ------- for partition of property,
mutation, sanad conversion, approval of plans ,
conveyance retrieval of property documents etc; the
numerous affidavits, grant of power of attorney.
Despite greasing of palms (bribes) more and more
technicalities are pointed out and this disillusions
the NRI’s .Falsified documents unrealiable title deeds
even after validation by Advocates, have resulted in
several cases being filed by NRI’s in the Consumer
Forums against the Builders, fore defective titles,
failure of specific performance of the agreements to
the Apartments Purchase by them..
Advocates, Notary, Civil Engineers, Realtors,
Architects Evaluators Surveyors. Talathis politicians
, there is no difference each one demands his pound of
flesh knowing full well that the NRI’s visit is
shortlived.
Setting up of enterprise:Whether it is industry, or
services excise licence, sales tax licence , stage
carriage permit, the clearances are numerous something
like twenty five and one has to visit every Government
office and made to run around even.
Retrieving ancestral property:Eviction of persons
encroaching on lands of absentee NRI’s is a time
consuming ordeal. Inventory proceedings are lond
drawn in the absence of judges. Archaic legal
procedures have frustrated NRI’s and compelled them to
abandon ancestral land & house property or sell them
of the builders or non Goans for a song.
Marriage / Birth and Deaths Registration/Change of
Names:he documents required are one too many.
Attestation of documents from overseas by the offices
of the Collectorate and the Sub-Registrar offices are
cumbersome.Getting birth and death certificates is a
tedious and documents are mutiliate from Registers
House Tax/Power & Water Bills Change of name to the
present owner is a pre-requisite insisted upon before
payment of Taxes or water and power bills. Even after
declaration of house closed arrears keep on mounting
and often meters are not functioning.
EDUCATION Admission to children in schools is a
tedious job. Rules of admission keep changing just
before the commencement of the academic year.
Reservation of seats is an uncertainity. Language
(Hindi or Konkani) is the biggest obstacle for those
being admitted to primary and secondary schools. What
is rather frustrating is that even those who will seek
employment abroad are compelled to study these
languages. Donations are a frustrating ordeal be it
convent run or diocesan schools or the mushrooming
nurseries English schools. Children are often left
behind at the care of domestic help or their aged
parents.There is no reliable transport system.
Children become vulnerable to criminal offences.
Homes/Care Centres for the aged/psychiatric/mentally
disabled person:While the NRI ekes out a living
abroad, elderly persons /mentally disabled persons are
left behind are left ot the mercy of the Creator.
This is a pathetic situation of one being physically
abroad and mentally in Goa. There are no Homes or
care centers to look after these person. They are
abandoned in the streets or fade away uncared
unconcerned. Of late they to are vulnerable to
criminal offences.
Death in Harness:NRI’s who are victims of death in
harness bring trials and tribulations to the next of
kin . Dead bodies are disposed off abroad or
overseas. There is no support service either from the
Indian Embassy officials or intervention to pursue
compensation claims especially in cases of death under
mysterious conditions. Subsequent to the Kuwait
invasion Compensation Claims of victims of the Gulf
War was not taken care of by the local Government. It
is the Syndicate Bank which suddenly became flush with
funds and had to seek the assistance of Bankers or
middle man to put up their claims. The claims came
around only after 4 – 8 years. It is not surprising
to find such families ruined overnight. Prostitution ,
vagabond turned children end up as juvenile criminals.
By the time the compensation arrives or pension
commences, the family is already heavily indebted.
Seamen get a pittance just Rs. 200 p.m. after well
over 6 months as pensions. Even the process of
seeking post death claims is tedious as it involves
middle men to collect the same from Seafarers’
Welfare Fund Society in Mumbai . By the time the
compensation arrives or pension commences, the family
is already heavily indebted.
Investments in Non Banking Financial Companies:
With the down slide in interests paid by nationalized
banks to now nearly 6 % there was a bee-line for
investments in agro farms, plantation, sheep breeding
companies. Retired defence personnel or ex -Chief
Executive Officers of reputed companies placed on the
Board of Directors lent credibility to these financial
institutions least suspect to the NRI’s. Today most
have lost their hard earned monies and there is no
hopes of recovery.
nri’s EXPECTATION FROM THE GOVERNMENT;
A )State Home Ministry to verify antecedents of all
recruiting agents operating in Goa; B)Set up sub
Office of Protectorate of Emigration and Directorate
General of Shipping in Goa and ensure all medicals are
carried out in Goa.C)Government to ensure scheme of
lien on employment to all its personnel migrating
abroad. D)Schemes to be notified for self employment
of NRI returnees. E)Grant NRI’s on short-duration
visits,and returnees prompt services. This facility
isavailable with the Central Provident
FundOrganisation, on production of visas to members
migrating;F)Place service oriented and knowledgeable,
public servants in Government Departments to provide
prompt service.G)For prompt services in Government
departments Tatkal system may be introduced on
payment of fixed amounts; H)Directorate of Land
Settlement and Records, should co-ordinate all matters
relating to conveyance of property instead of the
multiplicity of Departments;I)Government gazetted
officer should be authorized to certify documents and
appointed as Notary (Public) in the Revenue Department
itself . J)Single window for all clearances for
setting up industryK)Microfilming of documents with
both the Directorate of Archives and Registrar of
Births and Deaths, should be expedited. L)Court cases
to be heard on regular basis for NRI’ s giving due
consideration to long service abroad, senior citizens
M)Computerise water and power bills Vehicle Taxes
and provide on-line services. N)Facilitate
admissions to children of NRIs in schools with a
waiver of Konkani and Hindi since they do not aspire
for jobs with the Goa GovernmentO)Set up in each of
the 11 Talukas on Build operate and Transfer basis
Home, and Care Centres for the physically and
mentally disabled P)Set up sub office of Seafarers”
Welfare Fund Society in Goato handle expeditiously
cases of pensionQ)Set up a SOLATIUM FUND to provide
INTERIM RELIEF to bereaved members of the family to
be recovered after receipt of terminal benefits
R)Rehabilitation centers to provide vocational
training , educational and financial support to
next of kin for initial years;S)Government should
extend priority in matters of widow pension.
employment scheme for widows and orphans of NRI’s on
compassionate grounds;T)Government should expedite
e-governance measures and go online having over
enthusiastically baptized itself as an “INTELLIGENT
STATE” and a “MODEL STATE” a year ago.
OTHER AREAS FOR UTILISING NRI’ s KNOW HOW /FUNDS
NRIs have an emotive attachment for their motherland.
They always desire to contribute to their motherland.
Presently, religious, educational, private
hospitals, social service clubs , private old age
homes vie for NRIs funds and as a “ “quid pro quo”
get their names adorned on plaques.
Government invariably complains of paucity of funds.
On this count they readily privatize services be
it in the entertainment, tourist or hotel industry
etc. to Non Goans. The Government should give an
opportunity to NRI’s to bid for these privatized
services. They would thus ensure rehabilitation of
NRI returnee and also help thereby avert the change in
demographic composition of the State.Recreational
centers, Auditoriums with excellent acoustics
,e-commerce centers. Call centers, Old age homes,
Homes for physically and mentally disabled, Medical
centers , Computers for various categories
students, Microfilming of documents, setting up
gymnasiums, infrastructure for sports and games,
upgrading of agricultural implements, maintenance of
places of historical importance , springs etc could be
considered .Government needs to upgrade the standard
of services. New tools, respectable designations, in
keeping with international standards, e-governance ,
e-commerce should be the order of the day to invoke
the feeling of dignity of labour.NRI’s of Goan origin
are viewed as a distinct lot abroad. The reasons
are obvious for historical reasons --- 451 years of
Portuguese rule sets NRIs of Goan origin apart form
the rest of Indians. NRI’s are made subjects of
ridicule when foreigners here of unpleasant
developments in Goa. Political instability in the
Government as witnessed until October 2000 was one
such incident.Recently the spate of undetected broad
daylight murders of senior citizens, child abuse,
rapes on foreigners, influx of non Goans at
tourist centers, corruption in the Police ,Foreigners
Department, drug abuse, scourge of AIDS are viewed
with grave concern given our historic past.Also
declaration of NO HOLIDAYS on Good Friday , St Francis
Xavier and Dussehra has hurt religious sentiments of
NRI’s and foreigners as well who respect Indian
tradition of cultural and diversity .Finally the
general impression that an NRI is branded as a “
NOT REQUIRED INDIAN “ in his/her own motherland should
be eliminated. This will be the litmus test of the
Goa Governments concern for the NRI’s of Goan origin.
GOA GOING GONE FOREVER IS THE CRY OF THOSE ABROAD
For South Goa Public Interest Action Group(NGO)
Sd/-Terrence Mazarello
PRESIDENT
Godfrey J.I.Gonsalves
Program Co-ordinator
E-mail us on [EMAIL PROTECTED] or write to us your
comments to enable us forward the same to NRI GFC –
www.nrigoa.com
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