Thousands of Indian workers stuck in Saudi Arabia as kingdom's economy sags
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/energy/article/Thousands-of-Indian-workers-stuck-in-Saudi-Arabia-9013954.phpAugust 1, 2016
The Indian government is struggling to support thousands of its citizens who have lost their jobs in Saudi Arabia, India's minister of external affairs said Monday, a new indication of how the drop in global oil prices has affected the Arab world's largest economy and those who rely on it for their livelihoods.
More than 10,000 Indians have recently lost their jobs in the kingdom, and many are stuck there, some unable to feed themselves after not having been paid in months, the minister, Sushma Swaraj, told the upper house of India's Parliament.
"The government has taken this issue very seriously," Swaraj said. "If they are getting work, it is fine. But if they are not getting work and want to come back home, I assure you that we will bring them home safe."
Saudi Arabia and its wealthy Persian Gulf neighbors have long been top destinations for millions of poor laborers, most of whom work in construction, transport and other low-paying sectors.
Swaraj said that many of the unemployed workers were awaiting back wages after their work sites had closed down. There are more than 3 million Indian workers in Saudi Arabia, she said.
India is also trying to help those with no job prospects get home, a process complicated by Saudi restrictions on foreign labor.
