Do not charge stranded Goans return fare: Congress

The state government should not charge stranded Goans for a passage back home and then subject them to paid quarantine facilities, state Congress president Girish Chodankar said on Thursday, as part of the pan-India #SpeakUpIndia campaign launched by the Opposition party to critique the mismanagement of the COVID-19 crisis by the central government.

"Bring our people back to the country and Goa free of cost. Do not charge them money when they come to Goa. The expats have contributed to the state's economy in a big way. The government is not justified in charging them a return fare and paid quarantine," Chodankar said in a video which he shared as part of the nationwide social media campaign.

"The Goa government is simply not doing enough to repatriate the thousands of Goans, who continue to languish outside the state and abroad and want to return back," Chodankar said, adding that due to the economic downturn triggered by the coronavirus pandemic and loss of jobs, many persons stranded abroad may not be able to pay the return fare back to their home country.

Chodankar also said, that the central government should provide express aid to the poor and the marginalised people by depositing Rs 10,000 in their bank accounts and provide basic employment for 200 days using the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Generation Act.

"This will at least tide over their current crisis, by providing them with money to buy essentials and cover unemployment for some time," Chodankar said.

( With inputs from IANS )