AP Govt to set up committee to bring back over-staying workers

Hyderabad, Aug 21 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy today ordered to constitute a five-member committee under the Chairmanship of Minister of State for Energy, Coal and Minority Welfare Shabbir Ali Mohd to facilitate the return of illegally staying workers in the UAE and Dubai to the State.

Talking to newspersons here the Minister said the Chief Minister had taken the decision along with Regional Passport Officer B Balabhaskar.

The proposed committee, which would visit the UAE and Dubai soon, comprised Mr Ravi Shankar from Ministry of External Affairs, GOI Mr Ramana Reddy, Addl Secretary (Protocol) and two Immigration officials apart from Mr Shabbir who was also the Chairman of the NRIs issue.

It would arrange for their return before the deadline in Chartered and special flights after interacting with the government officials and the over-staying workers.

The Chief Minister had extended cooperation needed in this regard. the Minister said.

It may be recalled that the Dubai government had given a dead line up to September two for all the illegally staying Indians to return to the country.

Earlier, an official team from the Regional Passport Office, Hyderabad had visited Dubai and extended necessary help to bring back as many Indians as possible. With these efforts, the Dubai consulate had provided emergency certificates (for a period of three months) to 40,000 workers who had no passports and renewed passports to 20, 000 (for one year).

Similarly the Abu-Dhabi consulate had issued 10,000 emergency certificates and 10,000 renewals. Eighty per cent of the total 50,000 less emergency certificate holders were from Andhra Pradesh.

So far, 2,000 persons returned during January to July, 2007 and 3,000 returned during July to August 20 2007, he said.

UNI