MONDAY, JULY 08, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: Implying that Goans were surrendering their Indian passport for better prospects or for higher studies abroad, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the government cannot stop people willing to surrender their Indian passports to register their birth in Lisbon, Portugal. It is their individual problem. In last 60 years nobody stopped them but added that he would meet the Union Home Minister and the Minister for External Affairs in New Delhi next week, to discuss and seek details of number of Goans surrendering their Indian passports and working abroad.
He said that a detailed report from the MEA is awaited. The government is sensitive to this issue.
Replying to a starred question tabled by Opposition members regarding surrendering of Indian passports by Goans, Sawant said that during Covid-19 pandemic, the Commissioner for NRI Affairs had written to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) seeking data of Goans surrendering their Indian passport and those working abroad. But till date, the State government has not received the data/report, he said, adding that he will pursue the matter during his Delhi visit on February 7 and 18.
Quepem MLA Altone D’Costa said that in 2020, as many as 928 Goans surrendered their Indian passports while, 975 persons surrendered their passports in 2021. Also in 2022, maximum 1285 Goans surrendered their passports. He brought to the notice of the House that during last 10 years, about 28,000 Goans surrendered their Indian passports and requested the State government to take note of increasing number of Goans surrendering their Indian passports and find out the reasons for such a high percentage of surrendering of passports by Goans.
Implying that Goans were surrendering their Indian passport for better prospects or for higher studies abroad, Sawant said, “Government cannot stop people willing to surrender their Indian passports to register their birth in Lisbon, Portugal. It is their individual problem. In last 60 years nobody stopped them,” he said adding that a detailed report from the MEA is awaited. The government is sensitive to this issue."
The opposition charged that Goans were compelled to surrender their Indian passports due to lack of employment opportunities, jobs, as well as non-conducive conditions to start their own business such as red-tapism in government administration.
