RIYADH — The Telangana government allocated INR 100 crores for the welfare of NRIs in the budget 2018-2019. This announcement was made in the Telangana assembly and the NRI community expressed their reactions to this announcement with many of them appreciating it while several others expressed reservations about the effective usage of the fund.

A ten-member delegation from Saudi Arabia headed by Aijaz Ahmed Khan met A.K. Khan, advisor to government of Telangana, and they discussed with him the problems of Gulf NRIs. The delegation stressed upon the necessity of the state government to take immediate action for the rehabilitation of Indians from Telangana returning back from Saudi Arabia.

A.K Khan assured the delegation that he will present this issue to the chief minister and NRI minister at the earliest.

Many NRIs in Saudi Arabia welcomed the Telangana government’s announcement and appreciated the government’s concern for its people in foreign countries. The government also announced to build a Pravasi Bhavan in Hyderabad, but many NRIs felt that this bhavan would not fulfill in any purpose and would not benefit the returning NRIs.

They felt, that the government should rather use this fund for the welfare and rehabilitation of those contract workers who are returning back from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.

Reacting to the announcement Shoukath Khan, state coordinator for Overseas Affairs KSA, Bharatiya Janata Minority Morcha, Telangana, said that the current situation called for the continuation of education of the children of the returning families. This is the most important concern of the parents, who are sending their children back home due to the chaning situation in the Gulf. Many parents are not able to clear the fees of their children and hence cannot get Transfer Certificate TC, so the government should look into his issue, he added.

Shoukath requested the Telangana government to make necessary arrangements to ensure that children from Saudi Arabia get admissions in schools even without transfer certificate.

Mohammed Farooqui Shabaz, banker and general secretary, Hindustani Bazme Urdu, welcomed the announcement for allocating 100 crore rupees for NRIs and said the government should use this fund in proper way ensuring that the real and genuine NRIs are benefitted. — SG