KUWAIT: Discussions on finalising a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Kuwait and India on labour, employment and manpower development have reached the final stage, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, Vayalar Ravi said here yesterday. The minister, who arrived here yesterday morning on a four-day visit, completed the first round of talks with Minister of Social Affairs and Labour, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah. "The talks have been very fruitful. A framework on the MoU has already been established. But certain finer points have to be discussed in detail before signing the agreement," Ravi told the Kuwait Times in an interview.
The visiting minister is scheduled to hold further talks with the First Deputy Prime Minister, Interior and Defence Minister, Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah today to conclude the agreement. He is scheduled to call on His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah today.
The MoU is being endorsed between the two countries with a view to streamlining the Indian labour force in the country and safeguarding the rights of the workers. The MoU is likely to include a clause to bring the Indian domestic sector workers under the purview of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour. Currently, the domestic labour sector is being governed by the immigration rules of the Interior Ministry.
During the talks, Minister Sheikh Khaled informed the visiting Indian minister that the country is evolving a new labour law in consultations with the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The current Kuwaiti labour law was enacted in 1964. The GCC countries will hold an ILO conference in Doha this month.
There are around 540,000 Indians living and working in Kuwait, of which around 250,000 are in the domestic sector. India signed a similar agreement with the United Arab Emirates during the visit of the UAE Prime Minister and Vice-president and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Al-Maktoum to India last month. Agreements with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar, are also expected to be reached shortly.
Ravi said the Indian Immigration Act 1983 is being amended with a view to putting an end to all recruitment malpractices now taking place in India. The new draft law is being discussed now which will be finalised soon.
"Recruitment agencies will be closely monitored and illegal agents will be prosecuted. A performance report will be made and accountability will be fixed. Heavy penalties will also be imposed on the erring agents in addition to the compulsory punishments," he explained.
"We will encourage good manpower recruitment agents. We don't want to control them, but to regulate them in order to check any possible violations. We hope that the new act will effectively curb 'human smuggling," he pointed out.
Answering a question about the political situation in Kerala, he said, "The ruling Left Democratic Government has sought to question the credibility of the media by raising the bogey of 'media syndicate. The UDF has never done this kind of sabre-rattling." Ravi declined to comment on the exorbitant airfares being charged by the Indian national carriers in the Gulf sector by quipping, "This is not my portfolio."
Ravi held a luncheon meeting with Kerala Legislative Assembly member Thomas Chandy yesterday. He also held an interactive session with the representatives of various Indian associations in Kuwait at the Indian Embassy yesterday. The minister will leave for Qatar on April 10.
By Sajeev K Peter
© Kuwait Times 2007
