The Goa Welfare / Pension Scheme for Seafarers is a state government initiative by the Home Department, Government of Goa, designed to provide financial security to retired seamen. The scheme ensures that eligible beneficiaries receive a monthly gross pension of ₹2,500/- directly through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). This support aims to help retired seafarers and, on compassionate grounds, the widows of deceased seamen, maintain a decent standard of living during their retirement.
Benefits
- Monthly Gross Pension: Eligible beneficiaries receive ₹2,500/- per month.
- Differential Payment: If already receiving a pension from other schemes that is less than ₹2,500/-, the beneficiary is entitled only to the difference.
- Direct Benefit Transfer: Pension is directly credited to the beneficiary’s bank account, ensuring transparency and efficiency.
Eligibility
- Citizenship: The applicant must be a citizen of India.
- Retired Seaman: The applicant should be a retired seaman who was employed on board a ship or was invalidated from sea service on medical grounds before retirement.
- Age: The applicant should be 60 years or above.
- Service Requirement: Retired seamen must have rendered a total of 120 months of actual service on board, with a condonement of a break in service up to 6 months. This requirement is waived for beneficiaries invalidated on medical grounds and for widows on compassionate grounds.
- Widow Eligibility: A widow of a deceased seaman can be eligible if she has been a resident of Goa for at least 15 years and her annual income does not exceed ₹1,20,000/-.
- Residency: The beneficiary should be a bona fide resident of Goa by birth, or their birth should be registered in Goa, or at least one parent should have been born in Goa.
Application Process
Offline Process
- Visit the NRI Commission:
- Interested applicants should visit the NRI Commission.
- Obtain the Application Form:
- Take a print or request a hard copy of the application form from the concerned authority.
- Complete the Form:
- Fill in all mandatory fields, attach a passport-sized photograph (signed across), and include copies of all required documents (self-attested where necessary).
- Submit:
- Submit the duly filled and signed application form along with the documents to the concerned authority.
Documents Required
- Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC)/Seafarers Identity Document: Issued by the competent authority to show service record.
- Proof of Age: Birth Certificate or School Leaving Certificate.
- Medical Certificate: For those invalidated from sea service on medical grounds.
- Death Certificate: For widows of deceased seamen.
- Marriage Certificate: For widows, as proof of being the spouse of the deceased seaman.
- Income Certificate: Issued by the competent authority.
- Residence Certificate: To verify the beneficiary’s residency.
- Life Certificate: To be submitted annually by a Gazetted Officer to the Office of the Commissioner for NRI Affairs and subsequently to the bank before 31st March each year.
- Affidavit: Sworn on a ₹50/- Non-Judicial Stamp Paper.
- Voter Identity Card
- Aadhaar Card
- Bank Passbook Copy
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Can beneficiaries choose the nationalized bank in which they want their pension to be credited?
A1: The pension is disbursed through the DBT mechanism; details on bank preferences can be confirmed during the application process.
Q2: Can applicants who have served less than 120 months qualify if they were invalidated from sea service on medical grounds before retirement?
A2: Yes, the 120-month service requirement is waived for those invalidated on medical grounds and for widows on compassionate grounds.
Q3: What if an applicant’s birth was not registered in Goa, and neither parent was born in Goa? Can they still be eligible?
A3: Eligibility requires the beneficiary to be a bona fide resident of Goa by birth, or their birth registered in Goa, or at least one parent born in Goa.
Q4: Can applicants who are not Indian citizens qualify for this pension?
A4: No, only Indian citizens are eligible for this scheme.
Q5: Is there any flexibility regarding the 15-year residency requirement for widows?
A5: The widow must have been a resident of Goa for 15 years to be eligible under this scheme.
Q6: Can widows of deceased seamen who were not residents of Goa qualify for this pension?
A6: No, they must meet the residency criteria to be eligible.
Q7: Is there a minimum number of years of sea service required for seamen invalidated on medical grounds?
A7: The 120-month service requirement does not apply to beneficiaries invalidated on medical grounds before retirement.
Q8: Can seamen invalidated on medical grounds before reaching age 60 still qualify?
A8: They are eligible provided they meet the other criteria; the service requirement is waived in such cases.
Q9: Are there specific criteria for being considered “retired” for the purposes of this scheme?
A9: Yes, the applicant must be a retired seaman who has either completed service or been invalidated on medical grounds.
Q10: Who has the final authority in decisions related to this scheme, and what is the role of the Commissioner?
A10: The final decisions are made by the designated authorities, with the Commissioner for NRI Affairs playing a key role in overseeing disbursement procedures.
Q11: How is the pension amount disbursed, and what is the schedule for disbursement?
A11: The pension is disbursed monthly through DBT directly to the beneficiary’s bank account.
Q12: Is there a minimum period of service required?
A12: Yes, normally 120 months of actual service is required unless waived for medical invalidation or compassionate grounds.
Q13: What are the residency requirements?
A13: The beneficiary must be a bona fide resident of Goa by birth, have their birth registered in Goa, or have at least one parent born in Goa.
Q14: What does the scheme offer its beneficiaries?
A14: It offers a monthly gross pension of ₹2,500/-, with differential payments if the beneficiary is already receiving a lesser pension under other schemes.
Q15: When did this scheme come into effect?
A15: The scheme details are current as per the latest government orders; specific launch dates are provided in official notifications.