Merchant Shipping Act,1958 specifies exclusive provisions for the seafarers welfare. A tripartite committee headed by Union Minster of Shipping and consisting of representations from all stakeholders viz the Government ship owners and seafarers decides and monitor the welfare issues of Indian seafarers.
The welfare measures for Indian seafarers are carried out by Government bodies, trusts as well as private trusts. The Government organizations and the welfare measures undertaken by them are as follows;
Seamen’s Provident Fund Organization functioning under the Ministry of Shipping. The organization is responsible for collecting the provident funds of the seafarer from the respective shipping companies, manage the fund and distribute to the respective seafarer within the frame work of Seamen’s Provident Fund Rules.
The scheme of SPFO is applicable to the seafarers engaged as per the provision under section 100 of Merchant Shipping Act, 1958. Details of SPFO Act and Scheme may be viewed from the website of SPFO at www.spfo.gov.in
Seafarers Welfare Fund Society was constituted in pursuance of the recommendations of a Special Sub-Committee set up by the National Welfare Board of Seafarers as per the provisions under the M.S. Act. with the sole purpose of providing welfare facilities to seamen and to do all other such things as in the opinion of the society are conductive to the welfare of seamen including aged, invalidated, distressed or destitute seamen or the families of seamen. The general management and the control of business and the affairs of the Society is vested with the Committee of Management(COM) and all the Members of the COM are nominated/ appointed by the Central Government (Ministry of Shipping). The Director General of shipping is the ex-officio Chairman of the Society. Welfare Schemes: The Society at present runs the following welfare scheme:-
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