Bhatkal activists help eight stranded Indians fly back to India after months of struggle
One of the stranded workers belonged to UP CM's Gorakhpur constituency
Dubai, UAE: Community volunteers from Bhatkal have grabbed headlines in UAE after they reached out to eight Indian workers stranded in the UAE for several months to repatriate them to India.
The community volunteers Shirali Muzaffer Shaikh, Afzal SM, Sarfaraz Jukaku, and Hidayath Addoor swung into action when a Khaleej Times reported the plight of the stranded workers on June 16. They collaborated with the Consulate General of India Dubai and arranged for a swift repatriation of the workers.
Muzaffer Shaikh is from the AIM India Forum, a platform that supports stranded Indian nationals. Hidayath Adoor is convenor of the International Kannadiga’s Federation.
Khaleej Times had reported the workers were spotted on a street in Sharjah seeking food, shelter, and assistance. According to the Khaleej Times report, the workers who hailed from the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh were duped by an agent who charged them Dh 5,000 promising them jobs in the UAE. One of the stranded workers belonged to UP CM's Gorakhpur constituency.
The stranded workers have been identified as Vijaee N (Parsav, Uttar Pradesh), Ramagya Saini (Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh), Pramod Kumar (Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh), Mohammed Naseem (Bihar), Adya Prasad ( Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh) Sree Chandra (Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh), Raijullah Devan (Bihar), Pradeep Gupta (Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh)
When the workers reached UAE in March, they were left out in the cold, unable to look for new jobs or even return to India as their passports were not with them.
The volunteers reported the issue to the police with the help of authorities at the CGI and arranged the necessary travel documents, immigration clearance, and PCR tests. The ticket fares for the workers were arranged by the Indian consulate.
Hidayath Adoor arranged for the food and shelter for the workers for two months while Muzaffer, Afzal, and Sarfaraz helped them get their white passports.
CGI arranged their travel on July 2 to New Delhi from where they will be taken to their natives.
The workers breathe a sigh of relief when they finally boarded a flight to India on July 2 and expressed their gratitude to the Indian embassy and the social workers who also accompanied them to the airport.
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Min. Priyank Kharge to expresses concern over implementation of VB-G Ram G
Bengaluru: Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Priyank Kharge has expressed concern over the uncertainty surrounding the implementation of the proposed VB-G Ram G scheme, stating that the MNREGA programme, which has been a lifeline for rural India for nearly two decades, appears to be facing an uncertain future.
Speaking to media, Kharge said that as March 31 draws to a close, there is no clarity on the rollout of the new scheme from April 1. He pointed out that the central government has not yet issued the necessary guidelines for implementing the scheme for rural workers and villages.
He criticised the Centre for its lack of preparedness, stating that there is no clarity on fund allocation, no final parameters for classifying gram panchayats, and key processes such as social audits have not been defined.
Kharge said the situation comes at a critical time, as summer marks a peak period for rural employment demand, when many people depend heavily on wage employment for their livelihood.
He added that reports have emerged of delays in approvals and families not receiving work despite demand.
He further alleged that the Centre’s move to shift from a statutory employment guarantee to a rule-based allocation system is already showing negative consequences.
Kharge also raised concerns over provisions such as a mandatory 60-day halt during agricultural seasons, which he said would further limit employment opportunities for rural workers.
The BJP-led central government had claimed that the new scheme would transform rural India, but in reality it is turning out to be detrimental to people’s livelihoods, he said.
“The crisis in rural India due to the stalling of MNREGA is beginning to unfold. Given the Centre’s past record in handling such situations, there is growing concern over the impact on rural livelihoods,” Kharge said.
