As many as 1.50 lakh expatriates working in Gulf would be forced to return to Andhra Pradesh from July onwards following strict implementation of of Nitaqat Law (Naturalisation Law) in Saudi Arabia and crack down on illegal migrants in other neighbouring countries.
There is near panic among the expatriate community from India, particularly those from Andhra Pradesh, as the July 3 deadline to leave the country approaches. With the Saudi Government serious about implementing the Law and Kuwait too launching a crack down on illegal migrants, hapless Indians are making a beeline to Indian Embassies to obtain out passes.
Nitaqat is aimed at eliminating unemployment and localising jobs in Saudi Arabia. Under the Law, 10 per cent of the jobs would be reserved for Saudi nationals. The law has classified establishments into Blue, Green, Yellow and Red categories based on the citizen immigrant ratio of the company.
According to Indian Migrants Rights and Welfare Forum president Kotipati Narasimha Naidu nearly 1.50 lakh expatriates would be forced to leave Saudi Arabia and other countries. Close to 18-lakh expatriates from State are working in 17 Gulf countries.
An overwhelming numbers had secured “Azad’ visas, which enables them to fly to Gulf and search for jobs.
The expatriates are facing a plethora of problems that includes securing out-pass from the Embassies with great difficulty. The steep hike in airfares from 900 riyals to 1,700 riyals for a one way ticket has left them in lurch.
Mr. Naidu urged the State Government to depute a Ministerial delegation to visit Gulf countries to help those in distress. “Ä team headed by Minister D. Sridhar Babu, who held the subject of NRI Affairs, visited UAE recently. But, we want him to visit other countries also,” he pleaded.
Separate department
The Forum wants the Government to initiate some steps to help those returning home.
It wanted creation of a separate department for NRI affairs, abolishing the agent system, creating a separate corporation to help the expatriates and empowering Overseas Manpower Company of Andhra Pradesh (OMCAP), a government run recruiting agency.
Contacted by The Hindu , Mr. Sridhar Babu confirmed that over one lakh migrants would return from July. “During our recent visit to Gulf countries, we got a first hand feel of the situation. We are exploring the possibility of setting up a separate cell under the Rajiv Yuva Kiranalu to consider the expatriates for jobs here,” he added.
