Moreover, Indian Consul General Mohammed Noor Rahman Sheikh, speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, said that Indian labor in Saudi Arabia is substantially better that it was before.
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Low oil prices have forced the Saudi government to slash spending since past year, putting pressure on local construction firms, which rely on state contracts.
Emergency food packets being prepared by Indian NGOs for distribution at workers’ camps in Jeddah. “This is my assurance to the country through Parliament.We will bring all of them back to India”, she had said. He said that an overwhelming majority of Pakistani workers was living in Saudi Arabia without their families.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said that about 300 Keralites are facing tough times in Saudi Arabia after some construction companies closed down, laying off thousands of workers.
The Islamic nation has also permitted workers to take re-employment if other companies find them suitable, she said, adding that before departing, the Indian workers will register their claims of unpaid salaries and other dues with the Labour Office of Saudi Arabia.
India’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs VK Singh, visiting Riyadh on Wednesday to meet Saudi Labour Minister Mufrej Al Haqbani, said the Saudi government had provided assurances that it would resolve the crisis and ensure workers’ financial claims were pursued, even if the workers returned home.
She said: “I want to thank Saudi rulers on behalf of India and the house”.
According to the breakup given by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Vikas Swarup, there were 4,072 workers belonging to M/s Saudi Oger in Riyadh in 10 camps nine in Riyadh and one in Damman.
Haqbani’s orders also ease restrictions on workers leaving the kingdom, Okaz quoted ministry official Abdullah al-Alyan as saying.
As per rules, no foreign employee can leave the country without NoC by the employers. Many of them are employed in the region’s construction sector, building the glitzy skyscrapers and other architectural landmarks that dot the region’s landscape.
It may be recalled that Saudi companies have not paid salaries to about 8,000 Pakistani expatriates for the last seven months and refused to renew their work permits.
“Vijay Kumar Singh tweeted that he had arrived in the Western city of Jeddah and begun meeting with the Indian consulate there, adding the hashtag “#NoIndianLeftBehind”.
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“They have made arrangements to take care of the food of these workers”, he told the BBC.
