For any overseas Indian worker (OIW) facing exploitation and abuse at worst, and `benign neglect' at best, anywhere in the world, there will soon be help from the home country -- all they need to do is dial a toll-free number.
The ministry of overseas Indian affairs is all set to launch this 24x7 helpline where not only workers can express their concerns at work but also be informed about the better employment opportunities available elsewhere. Even victims of bad NRI marriages could call for an immediate help on this number.
``We are planning to set up an overseas workers resource centre, which will be in charge of attending to the distressed calls on the toll-free number -- 1800-11-3090, and counselling the callers. Similarly, an overseas employment promotion council would run parallel to this service to advise these workers about the availability of employment in other foreign countries. The aim is to help Indians go through a legal channel for employment and prevent them from being cheated,'' said minister of overseas Indian affairs Vayalar Ravi.
This resource centre would be a one-stop destination for the Indian workers, mostly construction and domestic helpers in distress, for a variety of activities which include supplying advice on how to act when wages are not paid and providing information about when to seek legal assistance against errant employers. They will also be told about norms and regulations related to employment -- like, it is illegal to employ a worker on a conditional basis more than once at the same company, and that the employer must pay the man a full salary with no restrictions.
From: TOI, Dec-29-07
