Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Apr 9: In the recent past, many people from Karnataka and other states, who left for other countries after having been offered with jobs, have found themselves in troubled waters. Sensing the need to come to the aid of such people, NRI Forum Karnataka is planning to organize orientation for people from Karnataka departing to other countries. The organization wants to particularly target blue collar workers, as not being aware of the law of the land can foment deep trouble for them.

Deputy chairperson of the Forum, Arathi Krishna, revealed that her organization had not been able to do much during the period since it was founded in 2008 because it did not have funds. She pointed out that the new NRI policy spelt out on the occasion of Pravasi Divas recently has mentioned about pre-departure orientation.

File Photo

In her opinion, two major problems from which the blue collar NRIs in the Gulf suffer are on account of bringing banned substances, or carrying parcels on behalf of others, and ignorance about financial impact. She notes that many a time the people landing in the Middle East try to clear off debts back home by raising loans or obtaining a credit card but then face the problem arising out of this poor financial planning. She revealed that the forum has set up welfare committees in all the districts of the state to help people facing problems on this front.

Arathi desires that the Forum should ideally be run like Non Resident Keralites Affairs Department of Kerala, noting that that state has set aside a handsome budget for NRI welfare. She lamented the fact that the NRI Forum here does not have even a date base about the number of Kannadigas working The Gulf region.