PM Modi's Visit to Kuwaiti Labour Camp Highlights Government's Commitment to Indian Workers' Welfare
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Kuwait City, Dec 21 (NationPress) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday engaged with a diverse group of Indian workers during his visit to a labour camp in the Mina Abdullah region of Kuwait, marking his first official activity after arriving in the West Asian country for a significant visit earlier in the day.
The labour camp is home to approximately 1500 Indian nationals from various states of India.
During the interaction, Prime Minister Modi inquired about the well-being of Indian workers and discussed numerous welfare initiatives launched by the Indian government over the last decade.
"The visit to the labour camp symbolizes the significance the Prime Minister places on the welfare of Indian workers abroad. In recent years, the government has implemented several technology-driven initiatives such as the E-Migrate portal, MADAD portal, and an upgraded Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana aimed at enhancing the welfare of Indian workers overseas," stated the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) following the visit.
The government under PM Modi is steadfast in offering robust support to its citizens in times of need, and the Prime Minister's visit to the camp on Saturday is particularly noteworthy, especially in light of the fire tragedy at a labour housing facility in the Mangaf area of Kuwait City in June, which resulted in the loss of many Indian lives.
Shortly after assuming office, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirtivardhan Singh was dispatched to Kuwait at the instruction of Prime Minister Modi, who was closely monitoring rescue operations on June 12 despite significant political developments in India, including the swearing-in of new governments in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
The Indian Embassy in Kuwait has been operating in a mission-oriented approach since the tragic event, consistently monitoring safety protocols at the labour camps and accommodations housing Indian workers.
This, however, is not the first occasion the Prime Minister has interacted with Indian workers abroad.
In 2016, PM Modi visited the residential complex of L&T workers and the All-Women IT and ITES Centre of Tata Consultancy Services in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
That same year, he also visited the Indian workers' camp in Doha, Qatar.
Earlier in 2015, he toured a labour camp in Abu Dhabi, where he underscored India's commitment to the welfare of its migrant workers. He engaged with Indian workers at their camps to understand the challenges they face and discussed how the Indian government could assist them.
Simultaneously, the government led by PM Modi has been diligently working to ensure safe and legal migration.
Launched in 2014, the e-Migrate project facilitates the emigration of Indians for employment purposes and reduces the risk of malpractices. It also streamlines recruitment processes in a transparent manner, providing a comprehensive online database of Indian emigrants to all stakeholders, thus making the entire emigration process swift, transparent, and efficient.
The e-Migrate system has been integrated with other services like the Passport Seva Project for online verification of passport information and with insurance companies offering the Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana. The DG Shipping system has also been linked with e-Migrate, allowing data about seafarers submitted to DG Shipping to be sent to the Bureau of Immigration for processing at Immigration Check Posts and airports, hence optimizing the emigration process.
The Overseas Employment and Protector General of Emigrants Division has also been fortified, simplifying the emigration process for individuals with ECR (Emigration Clearance Required) passports seeking employment abroad. A total of 16 offices of the Protector General of Emigrants have been established throughout India to aid in this effort.
The Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra, which serves to inform about emigration and address complaints and concerns of migrant workers, has been reinforced by the government, with five regional centers set up in Lucknow, Hyderabad, Chennai, Patna, and Kochi to assist emigrants requiring direct interaction for grievance redressal.
PM Modi has concurrently been focusing on enhancing the conditions for Indian workers abroad.
During his visit to the UAE earlier this year, PM Modi announced that a plot of land in Dubai has been allocated for the construction of a hospital for Indian workers.
Notably, India and Kuwait signed a landmark agreement in 2021 that represents a crucial step towards safeguarding the welfare and rights of Indian domestic workers in Kuwait. This agreement established a fair and balanced relationship between workers and employers, emphasizing the protection of workers' rights and adherence to local laws.
