The Hindu : Kerala News : Welfare scheme planned for India-bound NRIs

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Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008
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Welfare scheme planned for India-bound NRIs

Staff Reporter

Pact soon with Bahrain, Oman for minimum wages
Vayalar Ravi to take up Simil issue with YSR

ALAPPUZHA: The Union government is planning a new welfare scheme for Non-Resident Indians who return to India, Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi has said.

Speaking at a Meet-The-Press programme here on Monday, Mr. Ravi said the modalities of the new scheme were being worked out. The scheme had been discussed with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and would be taken up in thecoming Union Cabinet meeting as well as the Budget session of the Parliament, he said. The Central government would also sign agreements with Bahrain and Oman to ensure payment of minimum wages to skilled and unskilled Indian workers there. Agreements had already been signed with Kuwait and Qatar. At the same time, procedures to ensure minimum wages for women, particularly those working as maids, were being worked out with all Gulf countries. A minimum wage structure would be in force from March 31, Mr. Ravi added.

Pointing out that remunerations for Indian workers in Gulf countries were low, Mr. Ravi said the Union government had repeatedly raised the issue with the authorities in the Gulf countries. A revision in wages was necessary because of the rising costs of living, he said. Mr. Ravi earlier visited the parents of Simil, an Indian arrested on murder charges in Kuwait, at Thottapally near here. Simil’s parents, Shashi and Thelma, had been desperately seeking official help to ensure that Simil was not sentenced to death after being arrested for the murder of Suresh, a native of Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh.

Rs. 6 lakh sought

Their efforts had reached a naught when the family of Suresh demanded Rs. 6 lakh for issuing a letter of forgiveness.

Mr. Ravi said he would discuss the issue with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy

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