In a candid admission, Minister for NRI Affairs, K.T. Rama Rao said it was cause for concern that the Centre and State government did not have an accurate database of migrant workers abroad.
Security was a major challenge in several countries, especially for blue-collared workers, he said, urging organisations working on migrants’ welfare to help register their full details with the nearest Indian Embassy. This would help government reach out to them in case of a situation.
Addressing a gathering at the first-ever consultation conducted by the Telangana government’s NRI Affairs department with stakeholders preparatory to formulating the State’s policy on migrants, Mr. Rao promised them that all the concerns that were thrown up at the four-hour-long meeting would be addressed and incorporated in a draft policy document to be placed before Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and the Cabinet.
“I can assure you that we will study policies of Kerala and Punjab and the national policy specifically to dovetail components from them into the Telangana document to bring out the best-ever policy in the country. We are committed to NRI welfare, with special focus on blue-collared workers. I am going to New Delhi in two days and will seek an appointment with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj,” he said.
The Minister said the government would be tough on unauthorised agents who, speakers said, were present in every village. Also, detailed pre-departure, pre-migration orientation workshops would be organised, he said, adding that while migration per se could not be stopped, at least the challenges could be addressed.
24/7 Call Centre
Among other steps that would be in place, much before the policy to be unveiled, Mr. Rama Rao listed a 24/7 Call Centre, a police outpost and a Help Desk at the Shamshabad International Airport.
Among those present were Special Representative of the Government of Telangana in New Delhi and a host of senior officers including Home Secretary Rajiv Trivedi, Secretary-Tourism B. Venkatesham, Regional Passport Officer Ashwini Sattaru, Acting DGP Anjani Kumar, Nodal Officer-NRI Affairs, S. Arvinder Singh, Director-Culture Mamidi Harikrishna and a host of others.
Security was a major challenge in several countries, especially for blue-collared workers, he said, urging organisations working on migrants’ welfare to help register their full details with the nearest Indian Embassy. This would help government reach out to them in case of a situation.
Addressing a gathering at the first-ever consultation conducted by the Telangana government’s NRI Affairs department with stakeholders preparatory to formulating the State’s policy on migrants, Mr. Rao promised them that all the concerns that were thrown up at the four-hour-long meeting would be addressed and incorporated in a draft policy document to be placed before Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and the Cabinet.
“I can assure you that we will study policies of Kerala and Punjab and the national policy specifically to dovetail components from them into the Telangana document to bring out the best-ever policy in the country. We are committed to NRI welfare, with special focus on blue-collared workers. I am going to New Delhi in two days and will seek an appointment with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj,” he said.
The Minister said the government would be tough on unauthorised agents who, speakers said, were present in every village. Also, detailed pre-departure, pre-migration orientation workshops would be organised, he said, adding that while migration per se could not be stopped, at least the challenges could be addressed.
24/7 Call Centre
Among other steps that would be in place, much before the policy to be unveiled, Mr. Rama Rao listed a 24/7 Call Centre, a police outpost and a Help Desk at the Shamshabad International Airport.
Among those present were Special Representative of the Government of Telangana in New Delhi and a host of senior officers including Home Secretary Rajiv Trivedi, Secretary-Tourism B. Venkatesham, Regional Passport Officer Ashwini Sattaru, Acting DGP Anjani Kumar, Nodal Officer-NRI Affairs, S. Arvinder Singh, Director-Culture Mamidi Harikrishna and a host of others.