V K Singh, one of India’s junior foreign ministers, arrives in Saudi Arabia today to discuss the evacuation of thousands of laid-off Indian workers in the kingdom.
Reports said India was preparing for its largest “peacetime evacuation”.
M J Akbar, India’s minister of state for external affairs in charge of the Gulf region, after a meeting with Saudi ambassador Saud bin Mohamed al-Sati, said the Saudis had assured to resolve all outstanding issues including that of the stranded workers.
“Had fruitful discussions (with al-Sati) on all bilateral issues,” Akbar tweeted after the meeting. “Glad to receive support and assurances from the Saudi government to resolve all outstanding issues, including that of our Indian labourers.”
Reports said Singh would arrive in Jeddah today for a three-day visit.
“Necessary assistance continues to be provided to our distressed citizens with the heartening support of Indian community in Saudi Arabia,” he said in a series of tweets. Thankful that Saudi authorities have assured Indian embassy in Riyadh exit visas of our Indian workers will be processed (and) wage claims will be registered.”
New Delhi says some 7,700 workers are in distress after their employers have failed to pay them since November. They are sheltered in 20 camps.
Of them, 6,225 belonged to Saudi Oger, and they are housed in 16 camps, nine in Riyadh, six in Jeddah and one in Dammam, and 1,457 workers of Saad Group in two camps in Dammam, five workers of Shifa Sanaya in one camp and 13 workers of Taiya Contracting in another camp in Riyadh.
They are provided with necessary assistance with the support of the Indian community in the kingdom, estimated at 3mn.
Making a statement in Rajya Sabha, India’s upper house of parliament, on Monday, Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj had said that the government took full responsibility to feed them.
“If they get another job, that is fine, but if they want to return home, then I assure you we will bring them home,” she told the house of elders.
“Many workers who have been laid-off were employed with companies that have themselves folded up, and therefore the requisite no-objection certificates needed for emergency exit visas are proving hard to procure.”
Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said there are only around 300 workers from the southern state among the stranded lot.
“We are in constant touch with them and we will provide all assistance for their return,” he told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.
The authorities have also advised the workers to lodge petitions with the Saudi labour ministry seeking pending salary dues and other benefits.
The Non-resident Keralites Affairs (Norka) Department is collecting the list of Malayalis who wanted to return with the help of community groups as some of them wished to stay back until they get their wages cleared.
In the case of those whose job permits expired, there is no option but to return.