Non Resident Goans Emergency Repatriation Fund
No.Comm/NRI/248/10-11
Office of the Commissioner for NRI Affairs
Government of Goa,
Secretariat, Porvorim – Goa.
Dated: – 02/02/2011.
Sanction of the Government is hereby conveyed for the constitution of a scheme entitled “Non Resident Goans Emergency Repatriation Fund (NRGERF)” for the benefit of Non Resident Goans (NRGs) in times of distress abroad.
Under the above scheme, financial assistance will be extended 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. 5.00 lakhs; (b) repatriation of those NRGs who are faced with extremely serious medical conditions, including due to accidents, where the next of kin is unable to meet the cost, subject to expenditure ceiling of Rs. 5.00 lakhs; and (c) repatriation of NRGs in distress due to loss of jobs, etc. by bearing the cost of airfare to Goa, subject to expenditure ceiling of Rs. 1.00 lakh.
The scheme will be operated as per guidelines contained in the enclosed Annexure. However, in deserving cases where the guidelines cannot be followed in totality, a Committee headed by the Commissioner for NRI Affairs and consisting of the Chairman, Overseas Employment Agency of Goa and the Director for NRI Affairs may relax any of the conditions and recommend the financial assistance from the fund on specific reasons to be recorded in writing.
The expenditure on providing any of the above services would be met from Demand No. 02, Budget Head – 2052 –Secretariat General Services, 00, 800 – Other Expenditure, 02-Facilitation Centre for Welfare of NRI (Goans), 50- Other Charges (Non-Plan).
This issues with the approval of the Council of Ministers in the XXXXVIIth Cabinet Meeting held on 20th January 2011 and concurrence of the Finance Department vide U.O no. Fin(EXP)/1425450 dated 21/10/2010.
By order and in the name of
Governor of Goa
(A. K. Acharya), IAS
Link Secretary (NRI Affairs)
Copy to:-
The Hon’ble Commissioner for NRI Affairs, Secretariat Porvorim.
The Chairman OEAG, Secretariat Porvorim
The Director of Accounts, Panaji, Goa
The Office of the Sr. Dy. Accountant General (Audit), Porvorim.
The Under Secretary (GA), Secretariat, Porvorim
Bills.
The Cashier.
Guard File
O/C
Assistance for transporting the mortal remains of Goans who die abroad may be provided in extremely deserving cases subject to the following conditions:- i. The deceased person shall not have stayed abroad for more than two years.
ii. The annual family income of the deceased from all sources taken together prior to the death, shall not have been more than Rs.1,00,000/- as certified by the Mamlatdar of the Taluka concerned.
iii. The Indian Mission in the country of occurrence of death certifies that the Mission is not in a position to meet the expenses and that the Mission’s efforts to persuade the employer to meet the expenses have failed.
iv. The legal heir/next of kin shall indemnify before the Government that the deceased was not covered by any insurance scheme which would meet the cost of the transportation of body and allied expenditure and that, in any case, any financial assistance or compensation received on this account from any other source, subject to a maximum of the financial assistance extended by Government, shall be remitted to Government account.
v. The expenses may include cost of embalming, coffin preparation and transportation as certified by the Indian Mission and shall be made available only to the Mission concerned or other Government Department/ Office, as may be required by the Mission. vi. The expenditure in each case shall not exceed Rs. 5.00 lakhs.
b. Repatriation of those with serious medical conditions:-
Assistance for repatriating those in extremely serious medical conditions, including due to accidents, and who have no financial resources to meet the expenses may be provided under the scheme subject to the following conditions;
i. The victim shall not have stayed abroad for more than two years.
ii. The annual family income of the victim from all sources taken together shall not be more than Rs.1,00,000/- as certified by the Mamlatdar of the Taluka concerned.
iii. The Indian Mission in the country where the victim is hospitalised certifies that the Mission is not in a position to meet the expenses and that the Mission’s efforts to persuade the employer to meet the expenses have failed.
iv. The hospital where the victim is undergoing treatment abroad certifies that he has to be repatriated for better medical treatment and that the transportation at that stage would not be a cause for aggravating the ailment.
v. In the event the victim is not physically or mentally capable, his legal next of kin shall indemnify before the Government that he is not covered by any insurance scheme which would meet the cost of his transportation to Goa on account of the ailment and that, in any case, any financial assistance or compensation received on this account from any other source, subject to a maximum of the financial assistance extended by the Government, shall be remitted to Government account.
vi. The cost of repatriation to Goa shall be limited to the airfare of the victim and to and fro airfare of an accompanying person or medical attendant if it is certified by the hospital and attested by the Indian Mission that the person has invariably to accompany the patient.
vii. The amount shall be placed only at the disposal of the Indian Mission or other Government Department/Office, as may be required by the Mission.
viii. The expenditure in each case shall not exceed Rs. 5.00 lakhs.
c. Repatriation of Non Resident Goans in distress:-
i. Non Resident Goans employed abroad in low paid jobs who are either dismissed by the employers or have fled from them after having been harassed or assaulted and left with no means to survive or return to Goa, may be provided with financial assistance under the scheme limited to the cost of airfare to Goa and pocket expenses of Rs.1000/-, on the specific recommendation of the Indian Mission, subject to the Mission certifying that there is no provision to meet the expenses at their end.
ii. The amount shall be placed at the disposal of the Indian Mission or with any other Department/Office as may be specified by the Mission.
iii. The expenditure in each case shall not exceed Rs. 1.00 lakh.
