Question : Welfare of WorkersAbroad

(a) the details of welfare measures taken for Indians working in Gulf countries;
(b) whether Indian Workers Resource Centres have been opened in all the countries of Gulf;
(c) if not, the details of countries where IWRC has not been opened and the reasons therefor;
(d) the manner in which the Ministry is bringing awareness to workers who are intending to go abroad before they leave the country; and
(e) the percentage share of Andhra Pradesh in terms of presence of Indian workers in Gulf countries?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR OVERSEAS INDIAN AFFAIRS
GENERAL V.K. SINGH (RETD.)

(a): The welfare measures undertaken for Indian workers in Gulf countries are:
(i) Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) is providing funds for meeting the contingency expenditure incurred by the Indian Missions for carrying out welfare activities for overseas Indian Citizens who are in distress.
(ii) The Indian Workers Resource Center has been started at Dubai to provide information and assistance to overseas workers.
(iii) Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Suraksha Yojana (MGPSY) is under implementation. It encourages and enables overseas Indian workers having Emigration Check Required (ECR) passports going to ECR countries to (a) save for their return and resettlement and (b) save for their pension.
(iv) Pravasi Bhartiya Bima Yojana (PBBY) is a compulsory insurance scheme for overseas Indian workers having Emigration Check Required (ECR) passport going to ECR countries for employment to provide death and hospitalization coverage.
(b): Indian Workers Resource Center (IWRC) has been opened only in United Arab Emirates (UAE).
(C): ECR Countries of the Gulf where IWRC has not been opened are Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq. This Ministry has recently requested our Missions in these countries and in Malaysia to ascertain the possibility of setting up such centers, as per local laws of host country. Their responses are awaited.
(d) Ministry has been publishing advertisements in print and electronic media to increase awareness about safe and legal migration. The Ministry’s website also provides information about these matters. Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs has also established an Overseas Workers Resource Center (OWRC) at Gurgaon to disseminate information on matters relating to migration through toll free No. 1800-11-3090.
(e) The percentage share of Andhra Pradesh of Indian workers going to Gulf countries with emigration clearance during 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15 is 12.11%, 13.12%, 13.22% and 6.68% respectively.
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