Indian way of protecting its migrant workers

India has put in place effective safeguards for the protection of its workers, particularly unskilled, in other countries – an example which Sri Lanka should follow, industry analysts say.

Last week the Indian Parliament was informed that under an agreement between India and Qatar, that in the event the State of Qatar decides to repatriate Indian workers prematurely before the expiry of their contracted period, the government will ensure that before their repatriation full wages and other entitlements accruing to them under the contract of employment and the Labour laws of the State of Qatar are paid to them for the entire un-availed period of the contract.

The information was given by the Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs, Vayalar Ravi in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha.
The note said that India signed an agreement with Qatar on the employment of Indian manpower in November 1985 and an Additional Protocol to this agreement was signed in November 2007. The salient features of the Additional Protocol are the following:

• It enlarges the mandate of the Joint Committee and provides for a wide range of issues that can be reviewed by the Joint Committee for promotion of emigration from India to Qatar and protection/welfare of Indian workers;
• It stipulates that the Joint Committee would meet twice a year;
• There is specific provision for the welfare of Indian workers in the unorganized sector.
• It provides for appropriate steps to be taken to curb practices detrimental to the welfare of the Indian workers working in or seeking work in the State of Qatar.