Saudi Arabia and Qatar sign agreement to avoid double taxation    Saudi and Chinese foreign ministers meet in Beijing    Saudi Arabia to participate in Beijing International Book Fair 2024 as guest of honor    Aramco acquires 40% stake in Gas & Oil Pakistan    ROSHN revamps Waterfront walkway in Jeddah    Unstoppable OMODA & JAECOO global export sales volume surpassed 220,000! Now joining the KSA market with their pre-sales campaign    Moscow warns West after Ukraine told it can hit Russia with Western weapons    Trump found guilty in hush money trial    US and UK carry out strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen for first time in months    Bangladeshi pilgrim's life saved after suffering from heart attack    Transport minister opens 2nd Ring Road costing SR660 million in Jeddah    Jail for 4 Arab nationals for sexually harassing an Asian expat    Cristiano Ronaldo collects 2023-24 RSL top scorer award    Al Hilal's Bono named best goalkeeper of Saudi League    Saudi Pro League fan turnout up by 11% in 2023-24 season    Jorge Jesus wins Saudi League Manager of the Season award    Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale concludes with massive attendance    Man opens ice cream shop in seaside telephone box    Nepali climber sets record for fastest ascent of Mount Everest by a woman    World's rarest album to go on display in Australia    JK Rowling in 'arrest me' challenge over hate crime law    Trump's Bible endorsement raises concern in Christian religious circles    Hollywood icon Will Smith shares his profound admiration for Holy Qur'an    We have celebrated Founding Day for three years - but it has been with us for 300    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Indians present work, social grievances to visiting minister
By Faisal Aboobacker Ponnani
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 28 - 09 - 2010

Indians from the Eastern Province recently presented their grievances, at meetings held in Riyadh, to Vayalar Ravi, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, listing their labor and social problems and calling for a consulate to be set up in the region.
In response, Ravi assured Indians living here that he would prioritize the establishment of a consulate in the Eastern Province.
Other grievances listed include initiatives to educate students, open Indian universities, solve the problem of sponsors declaring their workers runaways, and tackling the trade in fake visas.
P.M. Mohammed Najeeb, president of the Overseas Indian Congress Committee (OICC), who led the delegation, handed over the memorandum to Ravi.
“We have drawn the minister's attention to a number of issues that non-resident Indians (NRI) are facing in Saudi Arabia,” Najeeb told Saudi Gazette. “The minister assured us that he will try his best to open a consulate office in the Eastern Province. This is a long-standing issue.”
A consulate is needed in Dammam because 35 percent of the 1.9 million Indians in the Kingdom work in the Eastern Province. Indian workers encounter great difficulties in getting all their documentation completed, according to the memorandum.
Although consular teams from the Indian Embassy in Riyadh visit the Eastern Province twice a week, a sizeable number of low income workers are unable to get access to these services. Many workers are also unable to visit Riyadh because of the distance and cost involved, stated Najeeb in the memorandum.
Kadavand Kunhimohammed, secretary general of the Kerala Muslim Cultural Center (KMCC), one of the oldest expatriate organizations in the Middle East, briefed the minister on the increasing number of house burglaries, thefts and muggings in the Kingdom, especially in the Eastern Province.
“We urged the minister to take up the matter with the higher Saudi authorities for the safety and security of the Indian community,” he said.
“The Indian government should also introduce important schemes for the employment and rehabilitation of returning Indians,” said Kunhimohammed. Indians working in the Gulf region are a major source of foreign exchange for the Indian exchequer, he added.
Kunhimohammed also wanted action on the delays in the repatriation of dead bodies from the Kingdom to India.
He also wanted the minister to tackle increases in airfares, and unusual delays and cancellation of flights by Air India during Eid and Christmas holidays.
The Kerala Relief Wing (KRW), a social charity organization, also presented a memorandum to the minister calling for Saudi nationals to be recruited at the embassy's office to help with labor issues and other matters related to the Saudi government.


Clic here to read the story from its source.