File photo: Sushma Swaraj
The government today promised to bring a mechanism to address various issues relating to Indians working in the Persian Gulf countries which are home to over seven million people from India.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj held consultations with Members of Parliament from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana as part of a consultative process to take the views of the elected representatives from the states from where people often go to Gulf countries for greener pastures.
"I have taken this initiative of inviting MPs from the states, from where people go to the Gulf countries, to know what kind of complaints they receive and what information they have. We started the process by holding discussions with MPs from Andhra and Telangana as maximum number of people go from these two states," Ms Swaraj said.
She said the government will set up a mechanism so that workers, who face various types of difficulties relating to job and travel documents, get relief.
"We will make a mechanism so that workers get relief. We do not want people from India to face difficulties abroad. It is a beginning and I will invite MPs from other states as well.
"Today's meeting was successful," said Ms Swaraj, who is also Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs.
She said 17 MPs from the two states attended the meeting.
Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh said a number of positive suggestions came up in the meeting and the government would work on them to see how the existing system can be improved.
"We will see how to make things better for our people who are working abroad," he said.