New Delhi, Jan 6 (Inditop.com) After the Gulf nations, Europe is emerging as the next window of opportunity for Indian workers and the country would do its bit to promote and protect their interests, Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi has said.
“There is no doubt, Gulf remains a major destination for Indian workers. But now, Europe has also become the dream target for them. We will open new windows of opportunities for them in Europe,” said the minister ahead of the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD), the annual congregation of the Indian diaspora, that begins here Thursday.
“Europeans are interested in our strong manpower, both skilled and unskilled. We are in talks with several members of the European Union to sign labour partnership agreements,” Ravi told Inditop in an interview.
He cited the comprehensive labour mobility partnership pact between India and Denmark that was entered in in October 2009 and said such pacts will provide for labour market expansion and employment facilitation with other nations.
“We have already started discussions with France,” the minister said, adding: “European nations have reached the saturation point as far as the growth of their workforce is concerned. But we have the potential to tap our huge demographic dividend.”
Ravi indicated that he may announce the contours of a new scheme during the three-day PBD to facilitate those overseas Indians who want to come back and settle in their country of origin.
“The return and re-settlement scheme is my ambitious project. Such a scheme is in the pipeline. We have already prepared its initial draft. But I want to introduce it in perfection,” the minister said.
According to Ravi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh — responsible for the country’s first ministry for overseas Indian affairs — was keen to ensure India engages better with its 25 million diaspora in 130 countries and addresses its need in the best manner possible.
Towards this end, he said, the limited budgetary support to his minister was a concern. “I am only getting Rs.60 crore to run the ministry. I have taken up the matter with the finance minister (Pranab Mukherjee).”
He said the finance ministry had agreed to higher allocation next year.
Speaking about the eighth edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, Ravi said this time the registration process had to be closed much earlier because of an “overwhelming” response.
The organisers expect more that 1,500 delegates from 50-plus countries to attend the event, which will be addressed by President Pratibha Patil and the prime minister, apart from 14 chief ministers and several members of the federal cabinet.
