Dubai: The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi would soon start its consular services in the industrial area of Mussafah, benefitting thousands of blue-collar workers and families residing in the district, according to a media report.

Embassy counsellor M. Rajamurugan said the initiative has been approved, in principle, by Indian Ambassador to the UAE Navdeep Singh Suri.

The services, which would start from this month-end, would be offered from Abu Dhabi Malayalee Samajam, the only registered Indian association functioning in Mussafah, the Khaleej Times reported.

This will help thousands of blue-collar workers and families residing in the district, southwest of Abu Dhabi, who travel to the city for passport renewal, attestation of certificates and visa-related paper works.

"Officials from the embassy will visit Abu Dhabi Malayalee Samajam this Sunday to see the existing infrastructure. The services will start on a monthly basis and depending on the demand, we can increase the frequency after further review," he said.

Rajamurugan said the services will be a boon not only for families in Mussafah but also for the big population spread-out in Shabia, Shahama, Al Mafraq, Bani Yas, Mohammed Bin Zayed City and surrounding areas.

"There are lots of workers in the labour accommodations and many families are also residing there. The services will be offered on Friday. The idea is to facilitate as many workers at the labour accommodations," he said.

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Chandigarh (PTI): The Congress on Thursday announced candidates for eight of the nine Lok Sabha seats it is contesting in Haryana, fielding former Union minister Kumari Selja, Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Hooda and youth leader Divyanshu Budhiraja, besides two sitting MLAs.

The party has also fielded former MP Jai Prakash and leaders Satpal Brahmachari and Mahendra Pratap, according to the list released late Thursday evening.

The Congress is contesting nine of the 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana. It has not yet announced its candidate for the Gurugram constituency.

The Aam Aadmi Party, a constituent of the opposition INDIA bloc, will contest the Kurukshetra seat.

Congress general secretary and former Union minister Selja will contest from the Sirsa (reserved) seat and sitting MLAs Varun Choudhary and Rao Dan Singh from the Ambala (reserved) and the Bhiwani-Mahendragarh Lok Sabha seats, respectively.

Deepender Hooda, son of former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, will enter the fray from Rohtak. He has represented the Rohtak parliamentary constituency three times in the past.

Jai Prakash has been fielded from Hisar, the Congress' Haryana youth wing president Divanshu Budhiraja from Karnal, Satpal Brahmachari from Sonipat and Mahendra Pratap from Faridabad.