Fund to mitigate NRI Goans' sufferings HERALD REPORTER
The NRI Affairs Commission has proposed to institute a welfare fund to mitigate the sufferings of Goans who are duped or lose their jobs overseas, especially, in the oil rich Gulf countries. Towards this end, the Commission has drafted Goa (NRGs) Welfare Bill, 2009. NRI Commissioner Eduardo Faleiro told a press conference here on Friday that benefits of the fund would be available to NRGs who become members and contribute Rs 300 per month for not less than five years. The Bill is likely to be tabled in the House this Assembly Session. The government will provide a two per cent grant to the fund vis-à-vis contributions by NRGs. Besides, grants from the Center, panchayats, municipalities, private organizations, and individuals are also welcome, he said. The fund would be used for paying pensions to members who complete 60 years of age, family pension on death of a member, financial assistance to members who become unable to work for more than two years, medical treatment and other purposes related to the welfare of the NRGs. Meanwhile, the Commission has recommended amendments to Goa Registration of Tourist Trade Act, 1982 so as to bar travel agents from doubling as recruiting agents unless they are registered with the Protector General of Emigrants. Faleiro said the government has accepted their proposal and the required amendment would be introduced in the forthcoming session of Goa Assembly. According to Goa Migration Study 2008, released recently, some recruiting agents illegally charge exorbitant fees and offer terms of employment, which are unrealistic, which they know, are not going to be honoured. There are about 20 cases filed against recruiting agents for cheating people, however police investigations in the cases has been rather slow, he replied. The office of NRI Affairs Commission has been regularly following the cases and randomly checking the advertisements published in newspapers by agents. There are 19 registered agents in Goa, he said. The agent has to publish his licence number in the newspaper advertisement. >From Punjab: Goa has borrowed a law from Punjab for safeguarding the property >of Goan NRIs, Faleiro said Friday. The Goa Buildings (Lease, Rent and Eviction) Control (Amendment) Act, that came into force recently as reported by his paper last week, was largely modelled on the East Punjab Rent Restriction (Amendment) Act which allows NRIs to recover possession of their rented premises through speedy summary trial, Faleiro, a former Union minister of state for foreign affairs, said. "Former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh had suggested the legislation to me, which I forwarded to the state government," he said noting that Punjab had the best measures in place for dealing with NRIs. "Earlier they (NRIs) would have to wait for longer periods of time demanded by the conventional judicial process. With this amendment, the cases are summarily heard by the Rent Controller's Office and there is no appeal," he added. http://oheraldo.in/pagedetails.asp?nid=24711&cid=2
