Chandy suggests ways to deal with Saudi labour law

New Delhi: Kerala on Monday urged the Centre to find a permanent solution to the problem emerging out of Saudi Arabia deciding to implement Nitaquat law which would adversely affect expatriate workforce there. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who was in Delhi on Monday, met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, Defence Minister AK Antony and Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi and submitted proposals which can be taken up with Saudi Arabia as a permanent solution to the problem.

The Nitaqat law makes it mandatory for local companies to hire one Saudi national for every 10 migrant workers. As per estimates, over five lakh people from Kerala are currently working in that country. During his plan fund discussion with Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Chandy also sought loans between Rs 10 lakh and 25 lakh at subsidised interest rate, equally borne by the Centre and state, as part of the rehabilitation package to those who return from the Gulf country.

Noting that the state government knows the limitations of India in intervening in the internal affairs of another country, Chandy said that the Centre can use diplomatic channels to persuade Saudi Arabia to give "general amnesty for six months or extension of the suspension of steps under Nitaquat for three more months". According to the proposals by the state, Centre can intervene to persuade the Kingdom to give one time permission to the worker to change sponsor, residence or profession and "to regularise the documents of expatriates working under a different sponsor or a different profession."

"For those who are declared Hurboobs (missing) or those who want to go back to India, exit passes may be given by the Indian embassy if they are not involved in any criminal cases without any ban for further entry in any GCC country. They should be sent back to India without being detained in deportation camps and Indian embassy should arrange return tickets," it said. The Chief Minister also asked the Centre to constitute legal aid cell in Indian Embassy and Consulate to provide assistance to needy expatriates.

Earlier, while seeking Centre's assistance for rehabilitation package to the returnees, Chandy said, "we are keen on providing interest free loans up to Rs 10 lakhs where the interest will be subsidised equally by the Centre and the state. For those requiring loans between Rs 10 lakh and 25 lakhs, we propose to provide interest subsidies at the rate applicable to agriculture/ priority sectors."