A senior congressman from Andhra Pradesh is in the Kingdom on a week-long visit to meet Indian community leaders and officials at the consulate and the embassy to discuss expat issues and solutions in general and the Nitaqat.

Khaleequr Rahman will have a meeting with community members at the consulate from 4 p.m. on Saturday.

He told Arab News that during his visit to Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam he will meet Indian consulate and embassy officials, and NRIs. He explained that though he is here to help all NRIs, the government of Andhra Pradesh has always been concerned about their issues.

“I am here to study and ascertain the impact of Nitaqat on the expatriates,” he said.

He added that the Andhra Pradesh government is planning to send an official team to Saudi Arabia to study issues of NRIs from Andhra Pradesh in the Kingdom.

“We are planning many more initiatives for NRIs. I will submit a report and then we will take further steps for the settlement of all the issues,” he said.

He said that almost 200 NRIs are registering everyday on the website and the funds which are collected through these registrations will be used for the welfare of NRIs. He thanked the Indian community, consulate, embassy and all the authorities for helping and supporting him in solving all the matters related to NRIs in the Kingdom.

Launched on Nov. 23, 2013, the portal is collecting data for rehabilitation of Indian expatriates hailing from the state following the crackdown against undocumented workers in the Kingdom.

The launch of the portal by the state government came following demands by political parties in Andhra Pradesh for rehabilitation of Indian expatriate workers from the state.

Consul General Faiz Ahmed Kidwai said that they are cooperating with him.

Members of the United Andhra Pradesh Forum (UAPF), Jeddah, Andhra Pradesh United Society (APUS), Riyadh, Andhra Pradesh Youth Welfare Association (APYWA), Andhra Pradesh Telugu Academy-Jeddah (APTA), Hyderabad Association (Dammam) and other NRI organizations in the Kingdom are expected to brief Rahman with their feedback.