PANJIM: The state cabinet, on Thursday, gave its approval to setting up a Non-Resident Goans Emergency Repatriation Fund to help the Goans in distress abroad. A sum of Rs 5 lakh has been provided for the purpose.
Briefing reporters at the end of the cabinet meeting held in the state secretariat, the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat, said that the amount from this fund would be used to help Goans in distress abroad and facing difficulties in returning.
Mr Kamat also said that recently the body of a poor Goan who died abroad was brought back after he intervened and sanctioned amount required for the purpose. He went on to add that funds upto Rs 1 lakh or the actual cost of repatriation would be released to bring back Goans. The idea was mooted by the NRI cell of the state government, he added.
The Chief Minister also informed that the cabinet also gave its approval for a scheme to support public-private partnership projects through viability gap funding. He said that the scheme has been set up on the guidelines set by the Planning Commission and that it provides for meeting any shortfall in the projects through the scheme.
The cabinet also gave its approval for setting up Goa Infrastructure Project Fund for which the government has made a provision of Rs 50 crore. Any department planning to execute any project under PPP could use the amount from the fund for getting the consultancy done, he added.
The Chief Minister also stated that the cabinet approved various minor amendments to the Goa Value Added Tax Act, even as it gave it approval for training youth from the Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Caste through the IT Knowledge Centres in the state free of cost.
The cabinet also gave its approval for extending the benefits of the VI Pay Commission recommendation to the technical teachers in the state and extend the retirement age to 62 years, said the Chief Minister.
Responding to a question on the safety of the churches and temples, Mr Kamat said that the reports on the issue have been prepared by the collectors of both the districts and that the same would be reviewed by him next week.
He also said that he would hold consultations with the committees of temples and churches and take appropriate decision on the issue.
The Chief Minister further said that he has sought additional funds for the state from the Centre for various development activities, including promotion of agriculture, and that the Union government has already sanctioned Rs 240 crore for the National Games.
He also said that the Centre has given its approval to utilise Rs 70 crore from among Rs 200 crore sanctioned to the state as funds Golden Jubilee celebrations of the state’s Liberation. He said that he would press for more funds for the development of the state.
A Nice move by the house to help the distressed, but I hope there will be no Red Tapes/Bereaucracy in between for the funds to reach the distressed. I have in many situations myself seen the apathy when it comes to our Governmnets response in aiding the distressed in comparison to some other Govts. A clear cut example of this was when Bill Clinton got a Flight Chartered to North Korea in Aug 2009 to rescue its American Journalist when they were held there. How much close would our Govt go to rescue its stranded citizen if this was the case.
ReplyDeleteI hope the Govt has a lesson to learn from this.
I sincerely hope they mean what they say
5 Lakh is equal to around 10,000$.
ReplyDeleteDo they think that Goans are stupid? you can't have a decent wedding for that amount in Goa.
Asshole 50 years of invasion, 50 years living in "Indian occupied Goa"
We should get rid of this Schedule cast and schedule tribe system along with so called self proclaimed Brahmins.
In Goa everyone is one, if you are wearing casti, lungi, short pant or long pants.
The Government is trying to garner votes through this Schedule cast and schedule tribe system.
GOA'S RUSSIAN REVOLUTION - URBAN Planet
ReplyDeleteWhere are the FREEDOLE FARTERs? is Kamakod gone to Delhi to get more money to protect the Russians.
@ Karamali
Why don't you go the Russian sector and show your muscle to the Russian, you quote you fought against the Portuguese, prove your self now with your other Free dole farters.
5 lakhs? What a joke! Niz Goenkar must have spent more than that in a few months in helping Goans in UAE, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar. Many of the Goan boys are living in camps and are earning a paltry salary of 800 dirhams a month and they sometimes don't even have the means to travel to Goa when their near and loved ones need them the most.
ReplyDeleteHowever, Niz Goenkar doesn't blow their own trumpet by saying that they have done this and that. If at all they are helping those who are not financially better than their other members, then it is because the feel that each and every Goan is a part of their large extended family and it is the obligation of each and every Niz Goenkar member to help other members who are in need.