Govt help for Goans abroad a click away

Panaji: The state

NRI

commission has relaunched an upgraded

website

, where

Goans

living

abroad

can

register

and seek help in cases of distress, chief minister Pramod Sawant said on Friday.

“The site provides for the registration of Goan NRIs and seafarers. This data would help the

commission

in case any assistance is required, at any time, especially in times of distress. In February 2020, the idea to construct a website with the provision to register was conceived,” said NRI commissioner Narendra Sawaikar. However, the work on the website was delayed due to the pandemic.

Officials said that during times of distress, the relatives and near and dear ones of the persons working abroad are unable to provide required accurate details of the person in need of assistance. This delays the process of extending the required assistance to them. The registration available on the website is now expected to help overcome such issues and help the NRI commission provide help without delay, when required, they said.

Approximately three lakh Goans are residing and working abroad, as per estimates of the NRI commission. There are around 18 associations of Goans in various countries.

“The data registered on the website will help the commission in case of any eventualities. I appeal to the Goan diaspora and the seafarers to register themselves on the website. The information given will be protected and will not be available in public domain,” Sawaikar said.

Director Anthony D’Souza and team will extend any support required in entering the data, he said.

A team of Infotech Corporation of Goa, including Shweta Dalvi and Gaurav Naik, have designed the website.

Goa government established a Commission for NRI Affairs as a separate entity on February 23, 2006, in view of the large Goan community living and working abroad.

The data registered on the website will help the commission in case of any eventualities. The information given will be protected and will not be available in public domain