OIA Minister to visit Gulf to give a soothing touch to Indian diaspo

New Delhi, May 2 (UNI) Overseas Indian Affairs (OIA) Minister Vayalar Ravi will begin a week-long tour of the Gulf Countries from tomorrow to study the problems being faced by the predominant Indian diaspora there.

''The visit is intended mostly to interact with the Indians in Gulf countries to understand their grievances so that they are redressed,'' OIA Ministry sources told UNI here today.

The Minister would spend sizeable time to understand the condition of the Indian workers and discuss with the Indian community and the government the ways to improve their lot. ''This will be his first priority,'' the sources said.

Mr Ravi will start his tour with a visit to Bahrain on May 3. His day-long engagement there include participation in a seminar organised by the Indian embassy to discuss labour-related issues and a meeting with Labour Minister Majid bin Muhsin Al Alawi.

He will also have an audience with Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown prince and chief of Economic Development Board- In charge of Labour Market Reforms and Bahrainisation.

In the evening, he would attend a public meeting at the Indian Club organised by the Coordination Committee of Indian Associations.

The second leg of his tour will take him to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where he will attend a series of programmes in the next three days up to May 6.

Mr Ravi will launch computerised consular-passport services in the Indian Embassy at Abu Dhabi on May 4. He will hand over the first Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card at the function at the Abu Dhabi Embassy auditorium in the evening.

He would receive community leaders and delegations at the premises of the Consulate General of India. He would then devote nearly two hours to meetings with presidents and secretaries of all the Indian Associations.

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