Goemkarponn desk
PORVORIM: Over the past five years, up to 9,000 Goans who were in danger overseas have received help and been returned home.
The Goa Legislative Assembly was informed by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant that the NRI Department of the Central government has successfully returned 9,043 Goans who were either in trouble or stranded abroad for various reasons since 2019.
Sawant responded in writing to a question posed by Venzy Viegas, the Benaulim MLA for the AAP, with this information.
In 2020, 7,939 Goans who were employed on ships during the COVID-19 pandemic were repatriated to Goa, as per Sawant’s response.
In addition to the seafarers, the Vande Bharat Mission brought 1,027 Goans who had become stranded in different nations back to the State.
He also said that 59 other individuals who had encountered various other issues overseas had been repatriated.
In addition, the NRI department has been successful in returning Indians who have been ensnared in various conflicts in the past few years. During the Russia-Ukraine war, which began in February 2022, for example, 17 Goans were successfully returned to Goa.
When the Israel-Palestine conflict broke out later in October of last year, the NRI department was successful in bringing a Goan back to his native country.
The Central NRI department additionally assisted in returning the mortal remains of Goans who passed away overseas.
41 Goans who passed away overseas have had their mortal remains returned during the past five and a half years. Twelve of these were recovered in just the previous year.
