India: Goa urges expats, seafarers to register on NRI website

The Goa NRI Commission has upgraded its website to help overseas Indians from the state seek help in case of distress, chief minister Pramod Sawant said on Friday.

According to NRI commissioner Narendra Sawaikar, Goans living abroad and seafarers should register on the site to enable the commission to provide help in times of distress.

“The idea to develop a website with the provision to register was conceived in February 2020,” he told the media.

He said many close relatives of NRIs could not provide details of a person needing assistance during an emergency. However, they would be easily accessible if the person had registered on the website.

“Data registered on the website will help us in case of any eventualities,” Sawaikar said. “I appeal to the Goan diaspora and seafarers to register on the site. The information will be protected and not available in the public domain.”

The Goa NRI Commission was originally established in 2006 but was upgraded only recently.

There are an estimated 300,000 Goans living and working abroad.