Government finally agrees to reimburse seamens Provident Fund

Mumbai, Dec 2 (UNI) After large-scale agitations and protracted negotiations by the National Seafarers Union of India (NSUI), the Union Government, after four years, has finally agreed to reimburse Rs 92.78 crore to the Seamens Provident Fund which was allegedly embezzled in 2002.

NSUI's public relations officer Sunil V Nair today told UNI that a high powered cabinet committee consisting of Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Union Shipping Minister T R Baalu has decided to refund the allegedly embezzled seamens provident fund on Thursday.

He expressed relief and said that now, nearly 35,000 seamen working on Indian flag-ships will get back their hard earned money.

Mr Nair alleged that the fraud worth nearly Rs 100 crores had come to light in May 2002, and the erstwhile Commissioner of Seamens Provident Fund, Anup Kumar Gond was arrested in this connection.

NSUI had to exert tremendous pressure on the government, resorting to large-scale agitations and even courting arrests to secure justice for the seamen, he added.

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