Minister: Indian mission created confidence among amnesty seekers

Indian diplomatic missions in the Kingdom have reassured Indian expatriates who want to leave the Kingdom or legalize their work status, said Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid.
Speaking at reception in his honor on Sunday, Khurshid lauded the efforts of Indian Consulate in Jeddah and the Embassy in Riyadh to render services to Indian expatriate community members who wish to rectify their work status before the July 3 deadline.
The Indian minister said he has addressed the Saudi Nitaqat issue effectively with Saudi authorities.
Khurshid said he met with applicants seeking emergency certificates at the Indian consulate in Jeddah.
“My visit to Saudi Arabia would be incomplete without a visit to Riyadh, Dammam and other places in the Kingdom. I had hoped to visit Taif to meet with Indian community members but time has not permitted.,” he said.
Khurshid spoke of Saudi Interior Minister, Prince Mohammed bin Naif, who said that “the Indian community in the Kingdom is hard-working and contributes significantly toward the Kingdom’s development.”
The UPA government in India is the first government in the world that enabled an act guaranteeing employment for its citizens, with the equivalent of 100 days worth of wages for the unemployed. It was under the guidelines of Sonia Gandhi that the UPA government passed the Right to Information Act to ensure transparency within the government.”
Salman Khurshid said “There have been errors in the implementation of welfare schemes for Indians. Some errors which can not be termed as corruption but in fact should be ignored by considering their wider intent for public welfare.”
“India is dire need of investment in the infrastructure sector where Indian professionals in the Kingdom can play an active role by convincing Saudi investors to invest in India, which will guarantee high returns,” he said.
Khurshid said “India needs an 8.5-percent growth rate in GDP to remain up to speed with development. However, we have fallen from 8.5 percent to 5.5 percent. NRIs should play an active role in restoring GDP.”
Several Indian community organizations have submitted memorandums to the minister seeking his intervention in addressing a wide range of issues concerning the Indian community in Saudi Arabia.