Following are the progressive steps taken by government to increase the job opportunities for seafarers in the last three years.

1. Three-Tier Mechanism of Learning comprises of E-Learning, Virtual Classes and passing of an On-line Exit Examination.
2. Continuation of Maritime training during pandemic by digital/online mode.
3. Biometric seafarer’s identity document is issued to the seafarers.
4. Participation in international conferences to show case capabilities of Indian Seafarers.
5. DGS has signed two MOUs with cruise shipping companies for establishing dedicated Institutes training of seafarers on Cruise vessels in India.
6. Scholarship is given to women candidates to undergo maritime courses.
7. To release more ship board training slots, the directorate has allowed for ship board training of officers and ratings on tugs and offshore vessels.
8. In the light of emerged COVID situation, various SoPs and DGS Orders were issued from time to time for Crew Change in order to ensure smooth operation of supply chain.
9. DGS Orders were issued from time to time to allow seafarers to retain validity of certificates enabling them to continue work or to join new vessel.
10. Seafarers have been declared as "Key Workers".

It is submitted that no funds have been allocated in the consolidated fund of Government of India for the social security protection of seafarers.

1. The Welfare schemes for seafarers are implemented by the Seafarer’s Welfare Fund Society (SWFS) (an autonomous body under Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways) from its own funds. The contribution to the welfare fund corpus is made by Indian Shipping companies and Recruitment and Placement of Seafarers License holding companies (RPSL Companies), as per Government of India notifications. These notifications are issued by the Govt. of India, so as to build-up the welfare fund corpus of the SWFS to provide the welfare facilities to the Indian seafarers and their families, to comply the regulation of Maritime Labour Conventions of International Labour Organizations for seafarers, to which India is one of the signatory.
2. The details of amount of funds disbursed and utilized for the social security
   protection of seafarers in the last five years by Seafarer’s Provident Fund Organization
   (SPFO) (an Autonomous body under Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways) are
   given below:

 

Financial Year	No.of Seafarers	Non-Refundable Withdrawal (Amount in Rupees)(A)	Final Withdrawal (Amount in Rupees) (B)	Total (Amount in Rupees) (A+B)
2017-2018	1584	2,34,18,600	71,78,80,076	74,12,98,676
2018-2019	1609	3,33,97,900	76,16,30,097	79,50,27,997
2019-2020	1706	2,21,61,756	67,78,47,795	70,00,09,551
2020-2021	635	2,03,58,298	25,47,21,715	27,50,80,013
2021-2022	1605	431,62,623	2477,26,093	2908,88,716
TOTAL	7,139	14,24,99,177	2,65,98,05,776	2,80,23,04,953

 

3. The Maritime Training Trust (MTT) has been funding for Scholarship to women
   seafarers. The amount of funds disbursed and utilized for the said purpose in
   the last five years are given below:

 

Year	No. of Women Seafarers applied for financial support	Financial support given per women student (Amount in Rupees)	Amount Funded by MTT (Amount in Rupees)
2017-18	51	50,000	25,50,000
2018-19	106	50,000	53,00,000
2019-20	185	1,00,000	185,00,000
2020-21	269	1,00,000	296,00,000
2021-22	367	1,00,000	367,00,000
TOTAL	978		9,26,50,000

 

This information was given by the Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

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MJPS

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