Quite a number of Goans belonging to economically weaker sections of society are employed abroad, particularly in Gulf countries, in skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled jobs. At times, some of them are either denied their lawful wages by unscrupulous employers for months together, or are forced to work at less wages than contracted, often compelling them to abandon their jobs in frustration.
Secondly, there are also cases of Goans who, after having been sent abroad by the recruiting agents in India, find themselves stranded on being refused or denied jobs by the employers, and often land up in jails.
Thirdly, in times of serious accidents or sudden illness, they have to be either admitted in hospitals in the host countries or rushed back to India for proper medical attention but do not have the financial resources to do so.
Fourthly, situations arise where a Goan worker dies abroad and the body is kept in the morgue and the employer refuses to extend any financial help, the next of kin back home is not monetarily sound enough to meet the cost of transportation of the mortal remains of the deceased.
Against this background, the Government has constitutd a fund entitled “Non-Resident Goans Emergency Repatriation Fund (NRGERF)” for the benefit NRGs in times of distress abroad so as to extend financial assistance for :-
a) Transportation of mortal remains of deceased NRGs to Goa in extremely deserving cases where the next of kin is unable to bear the cost of transportation, subject to expenditure ceiling of Rs. 5. lakhs.
b) Repatriation of NRGs faced with extreme serious medical condition, including due to accidents, where the next of kin is unable to meet the cost, subject to expenditure ceiling of Rs. 5.lakhs.
c) Repatriation of NRGs in distress due to loss of Jobs etc by bearing the cost of air fare to Goa, subject to expenditure ceiling of Rs. 1 lakh.
