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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Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday launched a sharp attack against the ruling BJP at the Centre over the 2024-25 Union Budget, calling it a 'revenge' taken by the saffron party against the country and warned it will face more electoral defeats since it was committing "mistake after mistake."

Explaining his decision to boycott the Niti Aayog meeting scheduled in New Delhi under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, Stalin said he was 'compelled' to speak in the people's forum, seeking justice due to the "discriminatory attitude" towards Tamil Nadu reflected in the budget.

The state's pleas for disaster relief to the tune of Rs 37,000 crore and Chennai Metro Rail's second phase were not heeded to, he said in a statement.

Further, the BJP runs "the government with political motive".

"The budget presented on July 23 is evidence of this. In the recently held parliamentary elections, the people of various states defeated the anti-people BJP. The Budget presented by Union Finance Minister (Nirmala Sitharaman) seems like a vengeful act against the States and people who boycotted the BJP. Instead of preparing a budget for the welfare of all Indians, she has prepared a budget to take revenge against those who voted for the INDIA bloc," he alleged.

The Union BJP government was disregarding Tamil Nadu continuously.

The Centre has held up funds that should have been released as usual for the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan, he said and alleged the former is 'adamant' that it will release funds only after agreeing to implement the NEP.

On the announcement that the stamp duty levied by the states will be reduced, he said it was done so without consulting the states. The GST system has already taken away the right of taxation powers away from the states.

"When they have not even disbursed the GST compensation of Rs 20,000 crore to Tamil Nadu, who gave them the authority to alter the tax levying system of the states. The middle-class is suffering without any concession in income tax for the last 10 years. The Union Government is patting their own back for announcing a meagre tax benefit of up to Rs 17,500 per year to individual taxpayers under the NTR (New Tax Regime) when majority can't avail that too," the CM said.

"This is not just a budget taking revenge on Tamil Nadu—it is a budget that takes revenge against entire India! This is a 'save the government budget' of BJP to remain in power. As the voice of the people of Tamil Nadu, in fact, as the voice of all the Indian people, let me say something--You (BJP) are committing mistake after mistake. You will suffer more and more defeats. Just as both houses of the Indian Parliament are in outrage, the hearts of Indian people are also raging against you. The BJP must answer," Stalin, president of the ruling DMK, said.