Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Staff shortage hits work

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Emigration clearance to hundreds of job aspirants, proceeding to various countries in the Middle East, has been hit due to paucity of staff at the office of the Protector of Emigrants (PoE).

The office, functioning at Thycaud here, has only the POE and an upper-division clerk (UDC) to take care of those stepping in for emigration clearance. In addition to the PoE, the office has a sanctioned strength of two upper-division and lower-division clerks (LDC) each and two temporary staff.

The situation turned bad with the transfer one UDC and two LDCs, and the decision to terminate the services of two temporary staff who were in the rolls of the Kudumbasree.

The PoE is often forced to do clerical work to ensure that the jobseekers get emigration clearance to proceed abroad. On an average, as many as 300 people turn up for emigration clearance. The lone UDC mans the counter till 12 noon. Only 100 clearances are being granted each day.

Emigration clearance is mandatory for those who have not passed standard X. Emigration clearance is mandatory to move to 18 countries, including those in West Asia.

By taking up work even after office hours, the PoE and the UDC are ensuring that the public are not affected by staff shortage.

The issue was taken up recently with the Union Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs and they had promised that the vacant posts will be filled at the earliest, sources said.

Taking advantage of the staff shortage, illegal means are being resorted to by job seekers by paying hefty sums to recruiting agents.

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