UP, Bihar replace Kerala as top supplier of blue-collar workforce to GCC nations: Report
Mumbai, Nov 17: Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have begun replacing Kerala, which was a significant contributor of blue-collar workforce, from India to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, a report said on Friday.
Over the last decade, there was a notable shift in migration patterns with Kerala witnessing 90 per cent drop in workforce going to the Middle East nations, according to a report by blue-collar worker placement platform Huntr.
However, this void left by Kerala was filled by Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Bihar, which are emerging as the top two contributors to the Gulf migration landscape, said the report.
The top five labour-sending states include UP, Bihar, Kerala, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu, while the preferred destinations remained Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman, it added.
According to the report, there has been a 50 per cent increase in the migration of blue-collar workers from India to the GCC in the first seven months of 2023.
The report by Huntr is based on data on its platform.
The report further revealed that the demographic profile of Indian migrants to Dubai in 2023 reveals a workforce primarily concentrated in the 20-40 age group, indicative of individuals in their prime working years.
Historically male-dominated, the workforce landscape is evolving with a notable increase in women migrants, particularly in the hospitality sector, it noted.
Qualifications among migrants vary widely, ranging from minimal formal education to vocational training, with skillsets tailored to specific job roles, the report said, adding that the majority of these migrants hail from lower-income backgrounds, propelled by the aspiration for enhanced financial conditions through opportunities in Dubai's robust job market.
The employment landscape of 2024 is projected to surge in job roles in Dubai, including construction workers, manufacturing technicians, hospitality staff, and healthcare support staff, it said.
This forecast aligns seamlessly with the UAE's substantial investment in manufacturing and infrastructure, indicating a strategic move to accommodate the influx of skilled workers from India, the report stated.
"Amid these opportunities, blue-collar workers often grapple with challenges such as financial and contractual issues, which collaborative efforts between India and the UAE are diligently addressing to ensure fair recruitment practices," Huntr CEO Samuel Joy said.
To counter the vicious debt cycle, we play a pivotal role by eliminating middlemen, fostering transparency, and promoting fair recruitment, he added.
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Space docking experiment: Spacecraft injected into right orbit, ISRO eyes another tech feat
Sriharikota, (Andhra Pradesh): Two spacecraft that would aid ISRO in demonstrating space docking, a critical technology for future space missions got separated successfully and were placed into the desired orbit late on Monday, ISRO said.
"PSLV C60 mission accomplished as of SpaDeX spacecraft is considered," said Mission director M Jayakumar.
ISRO chief S Somanath said the rocket has placed the satellites in the right orbit of 475 km circular orbit, after over 15 minutes of flight.
"So, as far as we are concerned, the rocket has placed the spacecraft in the right orbit and the Spadex satellites have moved one behind the other, and over the period of time, it will pick up further distance, travel about 20 km away and then the rendezvous and docking process will start. And we hope that the docking process can happen in another one week and the nominal time is going to be approximately January 7," he said in his address from the Mission Control Center.
And in this mission the very important part is POEM-4 (which was currently on) with 24 payloads from startups, industries, academic institutions and also from ISRO centres, he said. These are scheduled to be fired late on Monday night.
Dubbed as a prelude to ISRO setting up its own Space Station by 2035, the PSLV-C60 mission would also make India join an elite club in achieving this feat which is expected to take place in the coming days.
The 44.5 metre tall rocket carried two spacecraft -- Spacecraft A and B, each weighing 220kg which would help in space docking, satellite servicing and interplanetary missions.
After the culmination of the 25 hour countdown which commenced on Sunday, the rocket lifted-off at 10 pm from the First Launch Pad at this spaceport, emanating thick orange coloured fumes and thunderous sound in the island, located about 135 km east of Chennai.
According to ISRO scientists, the two spacecraft-Spacecraft A (SDX01) or the 'Chaser' and Spacecraft B (SDX02) or the 'Target' would be merged together later at an altitude of about 470 km after travelling at the same speed and distance.
By mastering the docking technologies, ISRO is set to enhance its operational flexibility and also expand its mission horizons.
This technology is essential for some of India's space ambitions like Indian on Moon, getting samples from the Moon (Chandrayaan-4 mission), building and operation of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station.
"In-space docking technology is essential when multiple rocket launches are required to achieve common mission objectives. Through this mission, India is marching towards becoming the fourth country in the world to have space docking technology," ISRO said.
The others to achieve this technological feat are China, Russia and the US.
While the Spacecraft has reached the desired orbit, in the coming days, scientists would take measures to merge the two by reducing the distance between them, ultimately leading to the docking of the spacecraft.
The launch of PSLV-C60 would be the last mission undertaken by the ISRO in 2024. Incidentally, the space agency began 2024 with the successful launch of PSLV-C58/XPOSAT mission on January 1.
Monday's PSLV rocket also becomes the first vehicle to be integrated upto the fourth stage at the PSLV Integration Facility (PIF) that has been established at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre here.
