HYDERABAD :
Indian social workers Umarani Padmanabhan from Dubai and Clifford Correia from Bahrain were felicitated and conferred with the “Pravasi Mithra” awards at a function held here on Sunday to mark the ‘International Migrants Day’ with special emphasis on awareness for Gulf migrants.
The progamme, organised by the National Domestic Workers Movement (NDWM-AP) and Migrants Rights Council (MRC), was attended by government officials, representatives of NGOs involved in migrant rights and families of Gulf migrants.
Speaking on the occasion, Umarani Padmanabhan hailed the UAE government officials for their cooperation in solving the problems of Indian workers in the country. “With the help of the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi & the Indian Consulate in Dubai, we have been able to help several poor migrants,” she said.
Echoing similar sentiments, Correia said: “We have been able to provide assistance to needy migrants from India with the help of the Indian Embassy in Bahrain. We have also provided free tickets to needy Indian migrants through the Indian Community Welfare Committee.”
Dasari Sreenivasulu, Principal Secretary, Labour and Employment Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh, who was the chief guest, released a book titled Pre-Departure Information Manual for Intending Emigrants published by Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA). He also handed over the ‘Pravasi Mithra’ awards to Umarani and Correia.
Addressing the gathering, Sreenivasulu assured the families of migrants that he would use his good offices in resolving issues of their kith and kin who were stranded in various countries of the Gulf region. “I have visited labour accommodations in the Gulf countries to interact with the migrants from Andhra Pradesh lodged there.”
Stating that he would strive to release as many of them as possible under amnesty, he said he would ensure that good education for children of migrants, particularly those who are in jails. “I will help in placing them in various residential schools of the state,” he said, and urged prospective migrants to take advantage of various governmental initiatives such as ‘Overseas Employers Conference’ organised by the state government earlier this year.
He said the meeting was the first of its kind in the country for those keen who were keen on working abroad. “It would be in the interest of intending migrants to go though the ‘Overseas Manpower Company of Andhra Pradesh’ (OMCAP) rather than approaching private agents for jobs abroad,” he observed.
Migrants Rights Council President P Narayana Swamy demanded of the Federal Government to appoint sufficient staff in Indian Missions abroad to look after labour problems. He also demanded that a National Commission for Migrant Labour be set up.
Marizen Santosa, MFA representative from Philippines, Binu Arickal, Dan Church representative from New Delhi, M Bheem Reddy, Vice-President, Migrants Rights Council and Sister Lissy Joseph of NDWM also participated in the function.
source: http://www.khaleejtimes.com / Online> International / by P S Jayaram / December 20th, 2011