The first batch of 26 Indian workers, who had lost their jobs in Saudi Arabia, arrived at Delhi on Thursday after the country issued them the exit visas.

Saudi Arabia has also set up a crisis management group to address the difficulties being faced by the jobless Indian workers while a separate panel has been appointed to look into their claims on unpaid wages.

During the visit of Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh to the Gulf nation last week, Saudi Arabia had agreed to resolve the problem of laid-off Indian workers, providing them free passage to return to India.

Saudi rules do not allow foreign workers to leave the country without a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from employers.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said,  “Mr. Singh has had very productive meetings with the Labour Minister and other senior Ministers during his visit of Saudi Arabia as a result of these meetings can be seen, the process of lodging claims and for those wishing to come back to India has already started”.

India appreciated the “magnanimous view” taken by the Saudi Arabian Government of granting exit visas rapidly and agreeing to bear the expenses for the travel of the workers.

“The workers came by a flight from Jeddah to Delhi. From here, respective State governments will make arrangements for their travel to their hometowns,” said External Affairs Ministry spokesperson.

(Prepared from media sources by Seema Kumari)

  India, Saudi Arabia, workers