‘Return of Goans working overseas will trigger massive unemployment’

NT NETWORK

Panaji

Admitting that the return of the Goans working abroad, including seafarers to their motherland, following Coronavirus pandemic would result in massive unemployment in the state, NRI Commissioner Narendra Sawaikar on Monday said that the state government would take the issue of unemployment as a challenge and in co-ordination with the Centre find solutions such as economic revival and boosting the industrial sector.

“This virus is novel and the problem is situational requiring situational solution,” he added.

Addressing a press conference, Sawaikar admitted that many Goans, especially those arriving in state from the Gulf countries, have lost their jobs and hence are unable to stay in those countries.

“They need to be rehabilitated, but it cannot be achieved overnight,” he observed, pointing out that as the situation unfolds, the solution would come.

Speaking further, the NRI Commissioner said that some of the Goans who have returned to Goa are in a “transition mode”, with their employers in respective countries having assured them jobs after the end of the pandemic.

“In fact, many of such Goans are inquiring if the international air service would open up by September-October, so that they can hopefully return to join their jobs,” he added.

Sawaikar also stated that a special flight from UAE to Goa would arrive on June 1, as also other such flights carrying Goans stranded in various other parts of the world would be planned in co-ordination with the central government.

He further said that the state government is in contact with the Union Ministry of External Affairs as regards the Goans stranded in Maldives.