Question : Minimum Referral Wages

(a) whether the Government has reduced the Minimum Referral Wages applicable to Indian workers in the Gulf and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether organizations representing Indian workers in the Gulf have requested the Government to rollback this reduction;

(c) if so, whether the Government intends to accede to their request and if not, the reasons therefor;

(d) whether the Government has estimated the impact in terms of loss of earnings for each worker; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

THE MINISTER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
(DR. SUBRAHMANYAM JAISHANKAR)

(a) to (e) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.



STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (A) to (E) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *228 REGARDING “MINIMUM REFERRAL WAGES” TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.08.2021.

(a) to (e) The Minimum Referral Wages (MRWs) for employment in six Gulf countries is the same now as it was in 2019-20. For a brief period of 10 months, the MRWs were adjusted downwards, due to the Covid situation, to protect our employment in the Gulf. As the labour market stabilized, the situation was reviewed in consultation with our Embassies in the Gulf. It was decided that the earlier MRWs to be made applicable once more with effect from 15 July 2021.


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