Hyderabad: In many parts of the state, for instance Jagtial, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, a job in any of the Gulf countries is an attractive dream and an ideal opportunity to overcome financial troubles.
But things are changing. For instance, Metlachittapur village in Metpally mandal has started counselling its youth against the Gulf fantasy. The village has more than 850 families – of these, over 600 persons on an average of one from each family are working in Gulf countries.
Sarpanch S. Rajender Reddy says that there are many from the village who went to the Gulf to clear their debts by borrowing large sums of money, but who are still in debt.
A group of people from this village who are working in Gulf countries have created a WhatsApp group and are helping each other and also involving themselves in their village development.
Jyotula Pramod, who recently completed his graduation, said that he had been planning to go to the Gulf to work, emulating his father, but after seeing the situation there, dropped his plan.
“I dreamt of something big but after seeing how our people are struggling there just for money and living away from family, I changed my mind. I have decided to work hard here itself and make my parents happy,” he said. Mr Reddy said that to change mindsets, students are being counselled by explaining the benefits for which they are eligible from the government.
Rights activists want ‘Gulf martyrs’ honoured
Migrant rights activists in Telangana are observing International Workers’ Memorial Day (April 28) as Gulf Martyr’s day in memory of the migrant workers who lose their lives in Gulf countries due to various reasons.
They said out of the deaths of NRIs across the globe, more than 80 percent deaths are in the six Gulf countries which are a part of Gulf Cooperation Council, but still the state and central Governments are turning a blind eye to their welfare and confining themselves to doing something only whenever there is an issue.
Migrant Rights’ Council vice-president M. Bheem Reddy said that India was exporting manpower and importing fuel, which is becoming a business for them, but for the migrants and their families back home, it is an issue of life. As per police records, every year more than 200 bodies of Gulf migrants arrive at RGI Airport.
