The Forum for protection of rights and welfare of NRIs has urged Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to take initiative for constitution of Indian Overseas Welfare Board in the interests of over 25 lakh Indian origin people working in different countries across the world.
The Board should be formed on the lines of the National Construction Workers Welfare Board so that financial security of the people working abroad could be protected even after their return to India. Around 25 lakh people of Indian origin, including migrants to the Gulf, were working abroad and a majority of those employed in the Gulf were construction workers, shepherds and domestic helps who were facing several problems there.
There was no coordination mechanism for protecting them and the NRIs were looking forward for a policy governing their interests, Forum chairman K. Narasimham Naidu said in a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister. Accordingly, steps should be taken to create an NRI cell in the Government supervised by a Minister as also a 25-member NRI Welfare Board with representation from those working in different countries.
