The Hindu : National : No ban on Indian workers going to Afghanistan

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Tuesday, Aug 22, 2006

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No ban on Indian workers going to Afghanistan

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: No ban has been imposed on Indian workers going to Afghanistan but a requirement for Emigration Check Required (ECR) continues to remain in force, a release said on Monday.

"As some projects [in Afghanistan] have been approved by the Ministry of External Affairs, deployment of workers to such projects has to be permitted. As such, no formal ban on deployment of Indian workers ... [in] Afghanistan has been imposed."

According to the statement, 444 Indian workers had obtained ECR clearance for Afghanistan from January 1 to June 30, 2006 while the figure for 2005 as a whole stood at 739.

It may be recalled that Indian workers, including those deployed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), have been targeted by militants in Afghanistan and Indian personnel have, time and again, been asked to quit the country.

In a bid to ensure the safety and security of Indian workers in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs has directed that a suitable provision be introduced in the employment contract making the company responsible for the worker's security. Also, a special insurance cover (to be paid by the employer) prior to emigration for each worker is required and all employment documents had to be attested by the Indian missions in Afghanistan.

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