NIZAMABAD: The circulars issued by the ministry of external affairs, reducing the minimum referral wages (MRW) for Indian workers recruited for Gulf countries, have drawn flak from migrant workers and various associations of Gulf migrants.
They expressed the fear that the circulars would adversely affect the livelihood of 88 lakh Indian migrant workers in the Gulf countries.
The ministry issued two circulars on September 8 and 21, 2020. According to these, the minimum referral wages of Indians who works in Qatar, Bahrain, Oman or the UAE have been reduced to $200 (Rs 15,000) and in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to $245 and $324 respectively.
The Central government’s decision to reduce minimum referral wages by 30 to 50 per cent risks the livelihoods of migrant workers, the associations complained. “It would also shatter the dreams of the current and prospective migrants from India.”
The Centre has been fixing minimum referral wages to regulate the wages of Indian…