The Hindu Business Line : Natwar promises help in settling NRK issues

THE Union Minister for External Affairs, Mr Natwar Singh, has agreed to take up with the Civil Aviation Minister the issue of reducing passenger fares in the Gulf sector.

The State Minister for Information and Non-Resident Keralites Welfare, Mr M.M. Hassan, told reporters that the Union Minister had exchanged views on the matter, among a host of others pertaining to non-residents' welfare, with a high-level team lead by the Chief Minister, Mr A. K. Antony.

Mr Natwar Singh is on a visit to the State. The Union Minister has agreed to take up the State's demand for operation of budget flights by Air-India. According to him, there was a hitch in launching the low-cost services just yet as the bilateral agreement with Saudi Arabia allowed for the operation of only jumbo jets. On the other hand, Air-India had proposed to use Boeing aircraft. This would require that the agreement be amended suitably.

Mr Hassan said the Union Minister had agreed to take up with the Union Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, the State's demand for withdrawal of tax proposed on interest earnings from NRI deposits. The State had also wanted the Representation of the People Act to be amended so as to extend voting rights to Indians working abroad.

The demand for opening consulates of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Kerala would be taken up with the respective countries, the State Government team was told. The State had demanded that the employer-employee agreement in the Gulf countries be made trilateral by incorporating the Indian Embassies as the third signatory.

This would help ensure that the agreements are complied with in letter and spirit. There have been complaints that some of the employers were not providing promised wages, accommodation and other facilities to Indian workers.

Another demand pertained to the appointment of a larger number of Keralite officials in embassies in the Gulf countries and setting up of help lines. Special arrangements to bring back bodies of those dying there had also been raised with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

According to Mr Hassan, the MEA was being directed to cooperate with the State Government in the efforts for decentralising the functioning of the passport offices to facilitate speedy issuance of passports.

The visiting Union Minister had agreed to seriously pursue most of the issues with the Ministries concerned once he got back to Delhi, Mr Hassan said.

Among those who attended the deliberations were the Minister of State for External Affairs, Mr E. Ahmed, the State Finance Minister, Mr K. Sankaranarayanan, and the Director-General of Police, Mr Hormese Tharakan.