Vijayawada: Migrant Telugu workers ready to fly to Gulf, other countries

Vijayawada: Migrant workers, who were employed in foreign countries and came back to their native places in Andhra Pradesh last year due to the Covid pandemic, are now again planning to return to Gulf and other countries in search of livelihood.

It is estimated that over 20,000 migrant workers came from abroad to Andhra Pradesh due to lockdown and pandemic. The Andhra Pradesh Non Resident Telugu Society (APNRTS) arranged helplines and contacted the Telugus in Gulf countries working abroad and helped them come back to Andhra Pradesh during the pandemic time last year. The migrant Telugu workers felt a great relief after returning to their native places during the Covid pandemic last year.

Now, the Covid cases have declined drastically and several thousand Telugu workers are ready to fly back to their work places in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and other countries like Malaysia.

The Non resident Telugu migrant workers are now facing difficulties to find suitable job in the State. Andhra Pradesh's economy was also badly affected due to Covid and trading activity came to a grinding halt for many months. The migrant workers are not comfortable at their native places in the State due to lack of livelihood. Many of them are facing financial problems as they suddenly lost the jobs and income. Many migrant workers have financial commitments and decided to go to foreign countries in search of livelihood.

R Vijaya (name changed), who was working as cook in Kuwait till last year, said she has to work another five years to run the family and help her children settle in their lives. Vijaya used to earn Rs 40,000 per month in Kuwait. Now, she is not able to earn even Rs 20,000 a month. Like Vijaya a large number of women workers who used to work as cooks, domestic maids, baby care takers and helpers to the senior citizens etc have lost their income.

Now, most of them have taken Covid vaccine and are preparing to rejoin the work. Moreover, the Gulf countries are giving permission to the workers from countries like India to come back and rejoin the duty. Countries like Kuwait, Qatar, UAE depend on the workers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh etc to meet their job needs at restaurants, hotels, hospitals, shopping malls, factories, schools and other work places.

The governments in Gulf started allowing Indian workers to resettle there in the jobs.

Sk Rahman, who used to work as a technician in UAE, came back to Guntur during the Covid lockdown last year. He recently went back to Dubai and joined the company. "I lost income for more than a year and I could not stay here without work and finally left for Dubai in search of livelihood," he added.

East and West Godavari districts, Kadapa, Srikakulam and Viziangaram have the highest migrant workers compared to other districts of Andhra Pradesh. Men work in construction industry, factories, hotels, restaurants, hospitals and other work places.

Andhra Pradesh Non Resident Telugu Society (APNRTS), which is an entity of Government of Andhra Pradesh, has recently conducted a survey on migrant workers and their living conditions. APNRTS president Venkat S Medapati, told The Hans India that the Society has conducted a survey and about 40 per cent of the migrant workers are ready to go abroad for work.

He said the APNRTS has launched awareness campaign on 'Safe and legal migration' in the migration-prone zones/mandals across the State. He informed that the awareness programme was conducted in Rajampeta in YSR Kadapa district, Sakhinetipalli of East Godavari district and Penumantra of West Godavari district.

He said the APNRTS gives information to workers who are willing to migrate and can contact the helpline No 91863-2340678 and whatsapp No 918500 27678. The APNRTS furnishes information on visa, passport, travel, work permits, rules to be followed in Gulf countries etc. Venkat S Medapati said APNRTS is ready to help workers, who migrate to Gulf or other countries like Malaysia, US, Canada and UK in search of livelihood.