Goa Welfare / Pension Scheme For Seafarers

Description
The scheme "Goa Welfare / Pension Scheme for Seafarers" by the Home Department, Government of Goa, provides financial assistance in the form of a Gross Pension of ₹ 2,500/- per month to the beneficiaries. The applicant should be a retired seaman. The age of the retired seaman should be 60 years or above.

Benefits
• Financial Assistance in the form of a Gross Pension of ₹ 2,500/- per month.
• NOTE: If the applicant is in receipt of a monthly pension under the Dayanand Social Security Scheme / Griha Aadhaar Scheme / Kala Samman Scheme, the amount whereof is less than the Gross Pension available under these schemes, then he/she will be entitled to receive only the difference, between the amounts of Gross Pension available under the above schemes.

Eligibility Criteria
1. The applicant should be a Citizen of India.
2. The applicant should be a retired seaman, i.e. seaman who was employed on board the ship and retired.
3. The seaman invalidated from sea service on medical grounds before retirement are also eligible.
4. The age of the retired seaman should be 60 years or above.
5. The widow of a deceased Seaman can also be eligible on compassionate grounds, provided that she has been a resident of Goa for 15 years and that her annual income from all sources does not exceed ₹ 1,20,000/-.
6. The beneficiary should be a bonafide resident of Goa by birth and if not, the said birth should have been registered in Goa or at least either of the parents of the beneficiary should have been born in Goa.
7. The retired seaman should have rendered a total of 120 months of actual service on board the ship. A break in service up to the period of 6 months shall be condoned while computing the total period of service.
8. **NOTE:** The limit of 120 months of actual service shall not apply to beneficiaries invalidated from sea service on medical grounds before retirement and the widow of a deceased beneficiary on compassionate grounds.

Application Process
Step 1: Step 1: The interested applicant should visit the NRI Commission.
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Step 1: The interested applicant should visit the NRI Commission.

Step 2: Step 2: Take a print of the proforma of the application form, or request a hard copy from the concerned authority.
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Step 2: Take a print of the proforma of the application form, or request a hard copy from the concerned authority.

Step 3: Step 3: In the application form, fill in all the mandatory fields, paste the passport-sized photograph (signed across), and attach copies of all the mandatory documents (self-attest if required).
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Step 3: In the application form, fill in all the mandatory fields, paste the passport-sized photograph (signed across), and attach copies of all the mandatory documents (self-attest if required).

Step 4: Step 4: Submit the duly filled and signed application form along with the documents to the concerned authority.
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Step 4: Submit the duly filled and signed application form along with the documents to the concerned authority.

Required Documents
• Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC) / Seafarers Identity Document showing the record of service issued by the competent authority.
• Birth Certificate issued by the competent authority or School Leaving Certificate in proof of age of the Seaman / deceased Seaman.
• Medical Certificate issued by the competent authority in proof of invalidation from sea service on medical grounds.
• Death Certificate issued by the competent authority in proof of death of seamen (applicable for widows only).
• Marriage Certificate issued by the competent authority in proof of being spouse of the deceased seamen (applicable for widows only).
• Income Certificate issued by the competent authority.
• Residence Certificate issued by the competent authority.
• Life Certificate issued by any Gazetted Officer (The Life Certificate should be submitted along with the application to the
• Office of the Commissioner for NRI Affairs, and after that every year before 31st March to the bank through which the beneficiary shall draw the pension).
• Affidavit on ₹ 50/- Non-Judicial Stamp Paper duly sworn before the competent authority.
• Voter Identity Card issued by the competent authority.
• Aadhaar Card issued by the competent authority.

Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can beneficiaries choose the nationalized bank in which they want their pension to be credited?
A: Yes, beneficiaries can communicate the savings bank account of the nationalized bank in which they want their pension to be credited to the Sanctioning Authority upon receiving the sanction letter.

Q: Can applicants who have served less than 120 months of actual service on board a ship qualify for this pension if they were invalidated from sea service on medical grounds before retirement?
A: Yes, applicants who were invalidated from sea service on medical grounds before retirement are exempt from the 120-month service requirement.

Q: What if a applicant's birth was not registered in Goa, and neither of their parents was born in Goa? Can they still be eligible?
A: To be eligible, the applicant should either be born in Goa or have their birth registered in Goa. Additionally, at least one of their parents should have been born in Goa.

Q: Can applicants who are not Indian citizens qualify for this pension?
A: No, the scheme specifies that the applicant should be a citizen of India, so non-Indian citizens are not eligible for this pension.

Q: Is there any flexibility regarding the 15-year residency requirement for widows?
A: There is no flexibility mentioned in the scheme regarding the 15-year residency requirement for widows. It appears to be a strict requirement.

Q: Can widows of deceased Seamen who were not residents of Goa qualify for this pension?
A: No, widows of deceased Seamen must have been residents of Goa for 15 years to be eligible for this pension.

Q: Is there a minimum number of years of sea service required for seamen invalidated from sea service on medical grounds before retirement to be eligible?
A: Unlike other retired seamen, there is no specified minimum number of years of sea service required for seamen invalidated from sea service on medical grounds before retirement to be eligible.

Q: Can seamen who were invalidated from sea service on medical grounds before reaching the age of 60 still qualify for this pension?
A: Yes, seamen who were invalidated from sea service on medical grounds before retirement can qualify for this pension, provided they meet the other eligibility criteria.

Q: Are there any specific criteria that seamen need to meet to be considered "retired" for the purposes of this pension scheme?
A: To be considered "retired" for this pension scheme, seamen must have completed their service on board a ship and officially retired from that employment.

Q: Who has the final authority in decisions related to this scheme, and what is the role of the Commissioner?
A: The Commissioner for NRI Affairs appointed by the Government has the final authority in decisions related to this scheme. The Commissioner approves recommendations made by the sanctioning authority, and their decisions are final and binding.

Q: How is the pension amount disbursed to beneficiaries, and what is the schedule for disbursement?
A: The pension amount is remitted directly into the savings bank account of the beneficiary on the last working day of every month.

Q: Is there a minimum period of service on board a ship that retired seamen need to fulfill to be eligible for this pension?
A: Retired seamen should have rendered a total of 120 months (10 years) of actual service on board a ship. A break in service up to six months can be condoned while computing the total period of service. However, this limit does not apply to beneficiaries invalidated from sea service on medical grounds before retirement and widows of deceased beneficiaries on compassionate grounds.

Q: What are the residency requirements for applicants, and are there any exceptions to these requirements?
A: Applicants should be bona fide residents of Goa by birth. If not, their birth should have been registered in Goa, or at least one of their parents should have been born in Goa.

Q: What does this scheme offer to its beneficiaries, and what is the amount of the pension provided?
A: This scheme provides a Gross Pension of [?]2,500 per month to eligible beneficiaries.

Q: When did this scheme come into effect?
A: The "Goa Welfare / Pension Scheme for Seafarers, 2021" is a scheme established by the Home Department, Government of Goa. It came into effect on June 18, 2021, and was scheduled to remain in force until November 30, 2021.