6,000 workers from India to be brought to Israel during April-May
Jerusalem (PTI): More than 6,000 Indian workers will arrive in Israel during April and May to help the country's construction sector meet a labour shortage following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
They will be will be brought to Israel on "air shuttle" following a joint decision by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), finance ministry and the construction and housing ministry on subsidising charter flights, a statement issued by the Israeli government late Wednesday said.
The construction industry of Israel employs workers in specific fields where there is a lack of Israeli workers.
The largest group of about 80,000 workers came from the Palestinian Authority-controlled West Bank and another 17,000 from the Gaza Strip. But a huge majority of them had their work permit revoked after conflict started in October.
The statement said this is the “largest number of foreign workers arriving in Israel for the construction sector in a short time".
"Thanks to the joint financing of the PMO, the finance ministry and the construction and housing ministry, it was agreed approximately one week ago on the arrival of over 6,000 workers from India during April and May on an 'air shuttle' following the subsidising of charter flights," it said.
The statement was released after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a meeting at the PMO here amid an acute shortage of workers that has stalled several projects, causing concerns of increasing cost of living and also friction between various government bodies and businesses.
The workers from India are being brought to Israel under a government-to-government (G2G) agreement between to the countries.
On Tuesday last week, 64 construction workers from India arrived in Israel under the agreement. There will be a series of arrivals in the coming weeks, a total of 850 by mid-April.
A little over 900 construction workers have arrived from India during the last few months through the B2B route, involving human resources agencies in both countries.
Talking to PTI, sources in the construction sector had said after three months, during which more than 20,000 workers from India and Sri Lanka were approved for jobs through screening tests conducted by the Israeli Contractors Association (ICA), only about 1,000 workers had arrived.
They had blamed "bureaucratic procedures", including obtaining various permits, for the delay.
Most of the selected workers are said to have resigned from their jobs and waiting to receive a visa to work in Israel, the sources had claimed.
"The Israeli government has repeatedly reported its intention to speed up these procedures but has not done so," a source claimed and added that all involved stakeholders in Israel are said to have proposed several plans in their discussions with the government to fast-track the process.
Last week, the ICA had told PTI: "The task assigned to us by the government was carried out at a record pace. It has been weeks since we completed three rounds of selection of workers in which professional approval was given to employ more than 20,000 workers, half of them in the government track and half in the business track."
"We call on the government to act immediately to bring here the workers who have already (been) approved and to create a fast-track (process) for the approval and flight of the workers. The delay in the arrival of the workers from India and Sri Lanka hurts all concerned," it had said.
Netanyahu during a telephonic conversation with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in December last year had discussed advancing the arrival of Indian workers to Israel.
Besides those from India and Sri Lanka, a group of about 7,000 workers have come from China and around 6,000 from Eastern Europe.
Israeli Minister of Economy Nir Barkat, during his trip to India in April last year had spoken to officials and his counterpart in Delhi, about hiring Indians in various sectors, including in the construction sector. The discussions had revolved around bringing in almost 1,60,000 people.
There are about 18,000 Indians working in Israel, mostly as caregivers. Most of them decided to stay back in Israel during the war because "they felt quite secure" and "also because the salaries are quite attractive".
Israel and India also inked an agreement in May last year during then Foreign Minister Eli Cohen's visit to Delhi to allow 42,000 Indians to work in the Jewish state in fields of construction and nursing, a move that was then seen to help deal with the rising cost of living and assist thousands of families waiting for nursing care.
A statement released by the Israeli Foreign Ministry then had said 34,000 workers will be engaged in the construction sector and another 8,000 for nursing needs.
In the last six months, about 800 workers from India have also joined the agricultural sector in Israel.
The Government Press Office in a statement said, "Pursuant to a directive from the prime minister, intensive staff work -- led by Prime Minister's Office Director General Yossi Shelly -- was carried out in order to facilitate a large increase in the quantity of foreign workers in Israel, lower the cost of living and significantly reduce the bureaucracy and friction between it and the business sector while improving supervision and oversight of the employment of foreign workers and safeguarding of their rights."
Following discussions, Netanyahu instructed that a decision on the issue be submitted to the government next week.
This decision will determine the scope of foreign workers in Israel and an adjustment mechanism in case of severe unemployment in the economy that would affect the employment of Israelis, the statement said.
"It was also determined that the government will authorise a committee of director generals, chaired by the PMO director general to allocate the quota between the various branches of the economy according to the need raised by government ministries from economic officials," it said, amid gaining chorus from various sectors of the economy regarding shortage of workers.
The minister of finance, interior, welfare and social affairs, and construction and housing, the cabinet secretary and PMO officials were among those who attended in the discussions
Officials from the ministries of foreign affairs, economy, interior, justice, transportation, labour, and housing and construction, the National Economic Council and the Agriculture and Population and Immigration Authority also participated.
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Bumrah leads India to its biggest Test win on Australian soil
Perth (PTI): Jasprit Bumrah led a feisty bunch of Indian cricketers to their most dominant Test victory on Australian soil, winning by a massive 295 runs in a remarkable turnaround that will find a pride of place among the country's golden moments in international cricket.
The stand-in skipper led by example with a match-haul of 8/72 as India bowled out the hosts, who were in pursuit of a mammoth 534, for 238 in 58.4 overs on the fourth afternoon of the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy here.
The victory propelled India back to the top of the World Test Championship standings with 61.11 percentage points.
India's previous biggest winning margin in terms of runs was 222 during a 1978 game in Sydney when Australia played an under-strength side due to mass exodus for the Kerry Packer World Series.
India are now 1-0 up in the five-Test series with regular skipper Rohit Sharma ready to take over during the Day/Night game starting December 6 in Adelaide.
While Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul will be among the heroes with their solid second innings batting performances, it was Bumrah's unbelievable skill-set and self belief during Australia's first innings rout that formed the cornerstone of India's win.
Not many teams have come back after being 150 all-out on the first day but this Indian team has time and again showed that it is built different.
Prior to the Test, Bumrah spoke about embracing challenges and he did walk the talk during all four days.
It was evident from the manner in which he allowed Mohammed Siraj (match haul of five wickets), debutants Harshit Rana (match haul of four wickets) and Nitish Reddy (41 and 37 not out and one wicket) bowl from the Member's End so that they can get extra help due to the ball keeping very low.
Washington Sundar (two wickets and 29 runs), who was preferred after the team management felt that Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja with 850 plus Test wickets between them, would not be as effective on this track, also did his bit in mopping up the tail.
The victory will bear greater significance because of India's shocking 0-3 whitewash at home by New Zealand.
With three of their automatic first team selections in skipper Rohit, talented Shubman Gill and bowling artist Mohammed Shami ruled out due to different reasons, Bumrah, leading in only his second Test, was left with a lot to do and less options to work with.
Gabba 2021 evokes nostalgia for every Indian cricket fan but Perth 2024 will certainly be right up there considering that no one, save those eleven and the few others in that change room, could have believed that something like this is possible.
Often the job of deputies in cricket is an understated one but it is all about making it easy for the general in charge.
Rahul Dravid had tirelessly done that for Sourav Ganguly during their time and as Rohit Sharma checked-in, he would know that his deputy has at lest tried to remove the ton of pressure on his chest after the home series debacle.
Gambhir Moves
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Credit must also go to head coach Gautam Gambhir, who copped a lot of flak after the defeat to the Black Caps and it was widely believed that rookies Reddy and Harshit got Test caps on his insistence.
Gambhir, who seldom smiles, could afford a grin under the Perth Sun as the burly Harshit and the sinewy Nitish didn't deviate from the script handed to them for the better part of the game.
Nervous Aussies
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Starting the day at 12 for 3 in pursuit of 534, it was about how much time would it take for Australia to capitulate and they eventually did despite a counter-attacking 89 by Travis Head that only delayed the inevitable.
On the last two tours, India started the series at Adelaide, which is believed to have friendlier batting conditions but this time, Australia decided to make the first move putting India on the bounciest surface in the country.
The move only worked for a session and a half before it backfired completely. The Australians had factored in India's vulnerability but decided to punt on their own batting line-up which has been woefully short of runs.
Steve Smith, one of the modern day greats, and Marnus Labuschagne, who has always been obsessed about batting, have had their forms desert them for the longest time.
Then they inducted a rookie in Nathan McSweeney, who isn't particularly tested and also not an opener. It indicated that just like India, Australia will also face a transition, and it's case could be even worse.
Josh Hazlewood had thrown the towel on third evening itself and one shouldn't be surprised if the Australian team management plays on flatter batting decks in the coming matches in order to nullify Bumrah's threat.
But Bumrah is the sort of bowler can tighten the noose whenever he desires and irrespective of conditions.
On the fourth afternoon, he came back to dislodge Head, who was putting on a fight.
That was possibly the best of his eight wickets in the game. It was pitched on length and the compulsive driver that Head is, he didn't expect it to climb from length and it took the outside edge.
