Celebration of Pravasi Bhartiya Divas 2016

Celebration of Pravasi Bhartiya Divas  2016

            The 14th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD) was celebrated in Kuwait on 9 January 2016 in Embassy Auditorium from 1600 hrs – 1900 hrs. The event was well attended with the presence of over 300 Indian nationals. Ambassador provided basic data regarding Embassy’s consular, passport, visa, community welfare services rendered to the Indian community during 2015. Several speakers spoke on issues concerning Indian Diaspora in Kuwait.

2.         Major achievements in bilateral ties during 2015 have been the following:

·        Illegal flow of Indian female domestic workers stopped;

·        Recruitment of Indian nurses streamlined through 3 State Manpower Recruitment Agencies; viz. NORKA, ODEPC & OMCL;

·        Trade & Investment: During last 2 years, Indian EPC companies viz  L&T, Shapoorji Pallonji, ESSAR, DODSAL and Simplex and Kalpataru Transmission  got major contracts worth $ 6 billion.In December 2015, an announcement with regard to Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA)’s investment of US$300 million in GMR Infrastructure Limited was made;   

·        Air Connectivity: Kuwait Airways now operating daily flights to New Delhi as well as started flights to Ahmadabad and Bengaluru;

·        FE remittancesto India:  US$4.8 billion sent to India from Kuwait; and

·        Indian community in Kuwait grew by 5-6% during 2015.

 

3.         The comparative chart of services rendered by Embassy during the calendar year 2015, vis-à-vis 2014, is given below:

Particulars

Calendar Year 2015

Calendar Year 2014 

Comments/Remarks

 

Passports

87,083

75,031

 Increase of 16%

Visas

13,259

12,719

Increase of 4.2%

Attestations

94,363

96,145

Decrease 1.8%

Emergency Certificates

3,923

2,815

Increase of 40%

Marriage Registrations

45

35

Increase of 28%

Birth Registrations

4,568

4,691

Decrease by 2 %

Deaths of Indian nationals

611

559

Increase by 9% - Rise in suicide, traffic accidents death cases.

504 mortal remains sent to India and 107 local burials.

Death compensation remitted to next of kin in India

Rs. 6.33 Crore

Rs. 6.19 Crore

-

Labour ContractsVisas (18)

 62,587

38,088

Increase of 64%

Labour Contracts

Visas (20)

27,911

 

54,126

Decline by 50%- as female domestic work contracts have been stopped since December 2014.

Shelter provided

726

714

-

Repatriation by Embassy

446

539

Decline by 20%

Deportation by Kuwaiti authorities

824

818

-

Air tickets provided under ICWF

250

278

Decrease by 11%

Indians in local Jails

 376

281

Increase of 33% in drug and alcohol-related cases

 

 

4.         In 2015, Embassy Auditorium was used for 48 socio-cultural events by various Indian Associations in Kuwait. There are 204 Indian associations now registered with the Embassy.

5.         Various suggestions to improve services (for example, voting rights for NRIs, Aadhar Card, greater assistance to 3 lakh Indian nationals in domestic sector, cheaper air-tickets) have been noted for consideration/implementation.

 
  
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