State will rehabilitate Goans forced out of Kuwait: Sawaikar

Panaji: State NRI Commissioner Narendra Sawaikar on Tuesday said the Goa NRI Commission is all ready to receive and rehabilitate Goans, who would be forced to leave Kuwait in the event of a legislation becoming reality, according to which Indians should not exceed 15 per cent of the population of Kuwait.

As many as 8 lakh Indians, including substantial number of Goans could be forced to leave Kuwait if the West Asian country approves the Expat Quota Bill, which was deemed constitutional by that country’s Parliament, earlier this week.

Speaking to ‘The Navhind Times’, Sawaikar said as of now, Goans, who have been stranded in Kuwait due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic are in touch with the state NRI Commission and the process of their repatriation is in progress.

“However, the possible evacuation of Goans due to this proposed legislation is a new thing for us,” he added, pointing out that the government of Goa needs to prepare itself for this particular eventuality, wherein many Goans will have to leave their jobs in a foreign nation and return to their native land. 

The proposed Kuwaiti legislation intends to introduce a quota system for employing foreigners in Kuwait, in order to address what the lawmakers of that country term as a “demographic imbalance”.

Speaking further, Sawaikar said whenever Goans in Kuwait return to Goa after losing their jobs, the government will need to think about their future. “The state NRI Commission and the government will have to sit together and decide how we can take care of these evacuees,” he maintained, observing that the government of Kuwait is completely justified in enacting legislations, which it feels are good for that country.

Indians form the largest expat community in Kuwait with a population of 1.45 million. Statistics from the Indian embassy in Kuwait informs that there are around 28,000 Indians working for the government of Kuwait in various jobs, while the majority of Indians numbering 5.23 lakh are deployed in private sectors. In addition, there are around 1.16 lakh Indian dependants in that country, out of which around 60,000 Indian students are studying in 23 Indian schools in Kuwait. If the Bill becomes a law, it will reduce the Indian presence in Kuwait by 7 lakh to 8 lakh.

The state NRI Commissioner, on a parting note said the government of Goa would do everything that is possible to rehabilitate the evacuee Goans returning from Kuwait, and is ready for such contingency. “Furthermore, we will also have to make arrangements for their journey to Goa, in this corona pandemic situation,” he noted.