Regional Passport Officer to work as Protector of Emigrants

Panaji, Nov 22 (UNI) The union ministries of Overseas Indian Affairs and the External Affairs have authorised the Regional Passport Officer of Goa to work as the ''Protector of Emigrants'' for granting ''Emigration Check Required Suspension'' status to those going abroad on visit visas.

It was also authorised to grant ''Emigration Check Not Required'' status to six categories of workers including supervisors, skilled and unskilled workers, drivers, clerical workers including stenographers, storekeepers, timekeepers and typists besides cooks except those on domestic employment.

Talking to reporters here today, Commissioner for NRI affairs in Goa Eduardo Faleiro said that he was further pursuing the ministries for inclusion of domestic servants for getting emigration clearance in Goa itself.

According to joint secretary in charge of special Kuwait Cell in the External Affairs Ministry Ambassador Sarita Bali, arrangements were made for 75 hitherto untraced Goan claimants to reach the United Nations Claims Commission for receiving compensation for the loss they incurred in the Gulf War.

''This was made possible with our intervention. Otherwise, 75 Goans would have lost the opportunity to stake claims to receive amounts ranging from Rs. 2,00,000 to Rs 50,00,000 each as compensation'', said Mr Faleiro.

''The state government has agreed to create 10 additional seats in Goa Medical College and five in the Dental College on supernumerary basis to benefit the children of non-resident Goans from the 2007-08 academic year'', he said.

''The NRI Commissioner has also favoured amendment to the relevant laws for summary trial of cases related to encroachment of properties of the non-resident Goans for speedy disposal'', he added.

''Such amendments to benefit the NRIs have been upheld by the Supreme Court in other states'', he said.

Meanwhile, the government has planned to hold a three-day ''Global Goans Convention'' in the capital on January 3 next year, where some of the eminent Goans are to be honoured.

Mr Faleiro appreciated the website www.globalgoans.org launched by the commission for posting information related to Goa.

UNI BM SD RL DS1527