Indian states urged to set up NRI units

Indian Ambassador to the UAE, T P Seetharam  has assured the Indian expatriate community here in the UAE that some recent problems faced in getting new passports issued have already been addressed and there is no shortage of passport booklets.

“This problem has been solved effectively and now there is no delay in issuing new passports.

“We are trying to address whatever problems the community face,” Seetharaman said.

Abu Dhabi meeting to drive state governments to set up welfare bodies

The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi is taking a major initiative to encourage various state governments in India to set up welfare bodies and departments similar to the Non Resident Keralite Affairs Department (NORKA) to look after the interests of Indian expatiates.

“Even though expatriate workers from various states in India work and reside in the UAE and other Gulf countries, many of the Indian state governments do not have separate departments or welfare bodies specialised in handling overseas Indian affairs and their problems,” said Indian Ambassador to the UAE, T P Seetharam, adding, “We are organising a major meeting of Indian community associations from various states in Abu Dhabi.”

The meeting will take place on September 13, 2014 at the Indian Social Centre in Abu Dhabi.

“We have invited representatives from all the state governments to take part in the meeting and discuss how the embassy can improve various services and welfare measures offered to the Indian community in the UAE,” Ambassador Seetharaman said, adding that besides Kerala – from where the maximum number of Indian expatriates in the Gulf region come - most state governments do not have their own specialised departments or bodies to take care of expats from their states.

He added that the Kerala Government’s initiative to set up NORKA could be a guide to other state governments. The Government of Andhra Pradesh has a special minister to take care of overseas Andhraite issues .

Rafeeq Rawther, India Coordinator, Migrants Forum in Asia told Emirates 24|7 that Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Rajasthan all have government secretaries and departments tasked with overseas’ workers issues, but there is no full-fledged organization like NORKA.

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