Sushma Swaraj appeals for ‘Ghar Wapsi’ of stranded Indian workers in Saudi, offers free return until Sept 25

“Indian workers who have lost their jobs should file their claims and return by 25th September. We will bring them back free of charge,” External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted on Tuesday. 

Appealing to the Indian workers, who have lost their jobs in Saudi Arabia, Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday reiterated her offer of free return provided they file their claims for unpaid dues with their employers and come back home by September 25. 

In a series of tweets, the External Affairs Minister said that ‘those who do not return by 25th September will have to make their own arrangements for boarding, lodging and return journey’.

Indian workers who have lost their jobs should file their claims and return by 25th September. We will bring them back free of charge./2

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) August 23, 2016

Those who do not return by 25th September will have to make their own arrangements for boarding, lodging and return journey. /4

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) August 23, 2016

Earlier on Monday, Swaraj had appealed to jobless Indian workers to return home and had offered free passage, but on Tuesday, she added a deadline of September 25. 

"Indian workers in Saudi Arabia - please file your claims and return home.  We will bring you back free of charge."
"When Saudi Government settles with the companies which have closed down, your dues will also be paid," Swaraj said in a series of tweets.

She said that settlement of claims will take time and that there was no point in waiting in Saudi Arabia indefinitely.

Indian workers in Saudi Arabia - please file your claims and return home. We will bring you back free of charge.

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) August 21, 2016

When Saudi Government settles with the Companies which have closed down, your dues will also be paid.

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) August 21, 2016

Please appreciate that settlement of claims will take time. There is no point in waiting there indefinitely.

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) August 21, 2016

Earlier this month Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh Singh had rushed to Saudi Arabia after large number of Indian workers sought Indian government's intervention in taking up their difficulties with the Saudi authorities.

He had also gone to Saudi Arabia last week to resolve the matter. The Saudi government, then, had agreed to swiftly resolve plight of the laid-off Indian workers including providing them free passage to return to India and clearing their unpaid dues.

Thousands of Indian workers have lost their jobs due to slowdown in Saudi economy, triggered by low oil prices and cut in spending by the government.

The Indian government had requested the Saudi authorities to give the unemployed Indian workers exit visas without NoC (No-Objection Certificate) from employers and also urged it to clear the dues of workers who have not been paid for months, whenever they settle the accounts with the companies concerned.

As per rules, no foreign employee can leave the country without NoC by the employers.

The Saudi government also agreed to allow transfer of Indian employees, who have lost their jobs, to any other company within Saudi Arabia.

As per rules, foreign employees cannot change jobs with permission of the company where they were employed.

(With PTI Inputs)