Kerala - Others   

Ravi to study problems of Indian diaspora

He begins a week-long tour of Gulf countries today

New Delhi: Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi will begin a week-long tour of Gulf countries from Wednesday to study the problems being faced by the predominant Indian diaspora there.

``The visit is intended mostly to interact with Indians in Gulf countries to understand their grievances so that they are redressed,'' Ministry sources said here on Tuesday.

The Minister will spend time to understand the condition of Indian workers and discuss with the Indian community and the local Governments ways to improve their lot. ``This will be his first priority,'' the sources said.

Mr. Ravi will start his tour with a visit to Bahrain on May 3. His day-long engagement there included participation in a seminar organised by the Indian embassy to discuss labour-related issues and a meeting with Labour Minister Majid bin Muhsin Al Alawi. He will also have an audience with Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the crown prince and chief of Economic Development Board - in charge of Labour Market Reforms and Bahrainisation.

The second leg of his tour will take him to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where he will attend a series of programmes in the next three days up to May 6.

Mr. Ravi will launch computerised consular-passport services in the embassy of Abu Dhabi on May 4. He will hand over the first Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card at a function at the Abu Dhabi Embassy auditorium in the evening.

The sources said May 6 is earmarked exclusively for meeting government functionaries in Dubai.

He is likely to call on Finance and Industry Minister and Deputy Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Makhtoum, Labour Minister Ali Bin Abdullah Al Kaabi and Social Affairs Minister Mariam Mohammed Khalfan Al Roumi.

Mr. Ravi will leave for Jeddah the same night for a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia. In Jeddah and Riyadh, he will meet representatives of various community leaders, apex Indian associations and representatives of the Indian workers.

During his May 7-9 stay in Saudi Arabia, he is likely to meet the Saudi Labour Minister.

He will return to New Delhi on May 10. — UNI

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Ravi to study problems of Indian diaspora

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu