DUBAI, 10 September 2007 — Mohammed Ali Shabbir, minister for energy, coal, and minorities’ welfare in Andhra Pradesh, said that his government is keen on cracking down on recruitment agents who engage in illegal practice and facilitate the flow of labor to the UAE without proper employment visas.
Shabbir, who is currently visiting the country, is heading a five-member team that has been formed to facilitate the quick return of thousands of illegal residents from his state. He expressed his government’s willingness to work with the UAE authorities in finding a long-term solution to the problem.
Shabbir and his team met Brig. Muhammad Ahmad Rashid Al-Marri, director of Dubai Naturalization and Residency Department (DNRD). He was accompanied by Consul General Venu Rajamony and Consul (Labor) B.S. Mubarak. The minister and his delegation will meet Abu Dhabi officials today.
According to sources, more than 30,000 unskilled and semi-skilled workers from Andhra Pradesh were identified as illegal immigrants in the UAE. Around 7,000 have returned to India in the past few months.
In June, the UAE government gave all illegal foreign workers three months to either become legal residents or leave without penalty. Last week, it extended the amnesty by two months. After Nov. 2, illegal foreign workers in the country will face penalty and jail term.
During his meeting with Brig. Al-Marri, Shabbir thanked the rulers of the UAE for offering the three-month amnesty and for the additional two-month grace period.
Brig. Al-Marri assured that the UAE government was dealing with amnesty seekers in a humanitarian way. He took the delegation to Jumeirah Immigration Center and showed the arrangements made for amnesty-seekers, which include an air-conditioned tent for water and refreshments.
Ambassador Talmiz Ahmad and Consul General Venu Rajamony briefed the minister and his delegation in detail on the arrangements made by the consulate over the last three months regarding the amnesty.
The delegation included Ravi Shankar Aisola, head of the branch secretariat of the Ministry of External Affairs in Hyderabad; Ramana Reddy, additional secretary of the Government of Andhra Pradesh; Amit Garg, joint commissioner of Hyderabad police; and D. Ashok, assistant commissioner of Hyderabad police.
According to official figures, NRIs from Andhra Pradesh constituted the second largest community, numbering nearly one million in Gulf countries.
Saudi Arabia hosts the highest number of NRIs from Andhra Pradesh at around half a million, followed by the UAE (250,000), Kuwait (80,000), Oman (65,000), Qatar (35,000) and Bahrain (25,000).
