MAKING A POINT: Minister for Rural Development D. Srinivas suggesting a point to a member from the audience at a seminar in Nizamabad on Saturday.

NIZAMABAD: An information and facilitation cell will shortly come up at the district headquarters to guide and enable youth wishing to go abroad, particularly the Gulf, in search of employment opportunities.

The proposed cell, to be set up under the control of the Indira Kranthi Patham, Ministry of Rural Development on a pilot basis, could be the first ever one in the country. Besides providing candidates going to Gulf with all the necessary information like how to get a passport and a work permit, it will also help in getting employment.

Addressing an awareness meeting organised to educate the unemployed youth on the problems confronted by them after landing in the Gulf and job conditions over there, Minister for Rural Development D. Srinivas said there were over 2 lakh people working in the Gulf from the district.

Most of them were in dire straits with meagre income and overstaying with illegal passport and work permits. "I had been to the Gulf last year and had witnessed their woes which cannot be described."

Most of them were working for even Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 3000 per month. They had no leave facility and insurance cover and were subjected to ill-treatment. Back home, there were so many incidents of suicide by their family members due to heavy debt. Some others ended up in jails, he said.

Regional Passport Officer Bala Bhavan appealed to the youth to realise that job opportunities in Gulf now were not as attractive as earlier.

Those who wished to seek a Gulf job should check first whether they had legal passport and work visa.

If they had no work permit from the sponsored company they would forego bargaining power in wages and be deemed persona non-grata.

The problem was alarming in the north Telangana districts as there had been heavy exodus of migratory labour to the Gulf.

It should be tackled with a multi-pronged strategy treating it as a serious issue.

Survey planned

District Collector I. S. Sri Naresh said a survey on problems of the youth in the district was on the anvil. Based on the report, training would be given to skilled and unskilled youth. Member of Parliament Madhu Goud Yaskhi presided.

Mayor D. Sanjoy, Joint Collector G. Ramnarayana Reddy, Additional SP B. Ananda Rao, IKP Project Director P. Chinatataiah and Youth Welfare Officer K. Madhukar Babu attended.

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