ranking official of the Indian Embassy here Saturday dismissed reports that the Indian government has increased the monthly minimum wage of Indian drivers recruited to work in Saudi Arabia. Manohar Ram, Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) at the Indian Embassy, said there is no veracity in media reports published during the past few days as regards the basic minimum salary of Indian drivers. A section of the Saudi media reported that the Indian government has raised the monthly basic salary of its drivers recruited to work in Saudi Arabia from SR1,200 to SR1,500. “I cannot authenticate the information being published in a section of the Saudi media as regards the Indian drivers recruited to work in Saudi Arabia,” said Ram. The embassy, he said, has not received any such information from Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs regarding the increase of basic monthly wage of Indian drivers recruited to work in Saudi Arabia. Over two million Indian workers including house drivers and others recruited by commercial establishments and companies are working in Saudi Arabia. __
