Goa | June 25, 2022
Union Minister of State for Tourism and Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shripad Naik today attended and addressed the Seafarers Day. Goa Seamen Association of India today celebrated Seafarers Day at Margao. Commissioner for NRI Affairs Shri Narendra Sawaikar was present on this occasion.
Addressing the seafarers, Union Minister Shripad Naik said, Government has initiated various policies for the welfare of seafarers in the last few years and a lot more needs to be done in the future.
The minister said,“In order to promote ‘Ease of Doing Business’,all the processes related to seafarers has been made online. To bring in transparency and accountability, the Directorate of General Shipping implemented the digitalization of the services like Biometric Seafarers Identity Document, issuing the certificates, rating automatic issuance of watch keeping certificate, permission of multimodal transport operator, recruitment and placement agency.”
India becomes the first country to issue Biometric Seafarers Identity Document. So far more than 1 lakh 95 thousand BSID cards have been issued to Indian seafarers. DG Shipping will complete Issuing of remaining 3 lakh 87 thousand cards soon.
‘Agnipath’ is a new defence recruitment model that allows youth to serve for the defence forces said the minister and further added that the Indian Navy and DG Shipping will facilitate ‘Agniveers’ to join the Merchant Navy in various capacities after completing four years and MoU in this regards are already signed . Union Minister appealed to youths to take more and more benefits of the scheme.
He added that financial assistance ranging from Rs. 10,000 to 2 lakh is being provided through these schemes which helped not only to seafarers but also to their families through scemes like
Survival Benefit Scheme, Invalidity Benefit Scheme, and Maternity Benefit Scheme for the female seafarers, Old Age Benefit Scheme.
In addition to these schemes, monthly subscription based provident fund for the seafarers is also available . Financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh to family of Indian Seafarer who lost life due to Covid-19 and reimbursement of medical expenses upto Rs. 1 lakh for the Covid-19 treatment was also launched earlier .
Union Minister lauded the services of the seafarers during Covid-19 pandemic as Seafarers provided essential services.
***
ST/JPS/PK
Follow us on social media: 
@PIBMumbai 
/PIBMumbai 
/pibmumbai 
pibmumbai@gmail.com