Dear Editor Please publish this articles
Thank you Recently we read in the newspapers that Millions of global desis scattered across the world, contributed to the growth of the Indian Economy. As per the recent publication of the figures by World bank show a tremendous increase of 162% in the remittance that India received from overseas Indian over the last eight years. India received $ 21 billions in 2003 , this figure jumped to $ 55 billions in 2010. Why did the overseas Indians remitted this colossal amount of money to their mother land? The replies is that they have a great degree of faith in the Indian banking system, rather than American or European banks .This remittance may be in a number of forms, such as domestic consumption, property, health and education. This is real money that is very much a part of the local economy, and is not money that is simply parked in a bank. Earlier, the money coming back to India was largely from poor people who migrated to Gulf countries, and sent a large portion of their income back home. Today the scenarios has changed and more and more money is remitted by the educated Indians who have temporarily moved out of the country for work and wish of returning back to India plus tard. Those who settled down there for good did not sent money back home. There are over eight thousand Goans in Swindon and lot of them are spread in other part of England. There are more in the pipe line to migrate in the near future. They too remit lot of hard earned money back home to Goa. One ask how are these overseas migrant Goan are protected in Goa? What happens to their houses, properties, their inherited land? Which laws protect them? Recently I happened to discuss with the Director of NRI cell in Goa as regards to special protection to the Goan abroad. He told me that there is no special protection for the overseas Goans . I argued since overseas Goans largely contribute to the economy of Goa and therefore they should be given special protection as regards to their properties, land and their houses. He told me that we have to speak to the legislators of Goa either to amend the existing laws or bring in the new legislations. NRI Cell in Goa does not cater the needs of the Goans abroad. It is a helpless and toothless organisation. It have no power of whatsoever and it is a nominal facility service centre without vision. There is a great need to protect the rights of the Goans migrants and introduce schemes to support them when they return home. It isn't just the money that's returning to Goa. In the future if the U.K and the Gulf economy collapses, Goa will have the highest number of returning Goans. It is the high time that the Government of Goa ponder and bring in a good protective and comprehensive legislation for the bien être of the overseas Goans. Bruno Gomes Switzerland
