Govt to strengthen pact with Qatar

NEW DELHI: India has decided to strengthen an agreement with Qatar on regulating employment of Indian workers, as part of efforts to protect the interests of NRIs, especially unskilled labourers.

The Union Cabinet on Thursday gave its approval for signing additional protocol... on the regulation of the employment of Indian manpower between Qatar and India", Information and Broadcasting Minister P R Dasmunsi told reporters after the Cabinet meeting.

The additional protocol seeks to remove grey areas from the current agreement to the benefit of the Indian workers, especially the unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled workers, he said.

The protocol, once signed, will provide a framework to address various job related issues and concerns facing the large Indian workforce in Qatar. A major issue is related to housemaids and other domestic workers who have not been covered by the Qatari Labour Law.

The agreement will help in finding a mechanism to solve their problems, Minister for Overseas Affairs Vayalar Ravi had said in April.

The original agreement on regulation of employment of Indian manpower between Qatar and India was signed on April 11, 1985.

The Cabinet, Dasmunsi said, also gave its ex-post facto approval to the MoU on labour, employment and manpower signed between India and Kuwait three months ago.

The MoU, which would benefit Indian workers going to Kuwait, was signed on April 10, 2007.