Indian Minister of State for External Affairs Gen. (Rtd.) V. K. Singh during an interview with Saudi Gazette in Jeddah on Friday.

It is always gratifying to put a smile on the face of a person in distress. This is how India’s Minister of State for External Affairs Gen. (Rtd.) V. K. Singh humbly summed up his latest successful humanitarian mission.

When Saudi Gazette caught up with him for an exclusive interview in Jeddah on Friday, he looked relaxed and happy.

“I feel happy that I was entrusted with a task to solve the problems of our people who are stranded here,” said Gen. Singh.

Whether it was a risky evacuation of Indians from Yemen last year or airlifting his countrymen stranded in South Sudan last month or dashing to the Kingdom early Wednesday to help find a solution to the problems being faced by hundreds of Indian workers in labor camps, Gen. Singh has proved that a soldier — which he has been — never says quit.

His meetings in Riyadh culminated in some unprecedented outcomes. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman instructed the authorities concerned to solve the issues of the stranded Indian workers within two days. The King ordered that the Saudi government will meet the food and medical needs of these workers and send home at its expense those who want to be repatriated.

Gen. Singh does not take credit for this success. “This is the result of the upswing in the relations between India and Saudi Arabia after the visit of the prime minister,” he said. He praised the Saudi government for its magnanimity and positive gesture. “The response and attitude of the Saudi authorities have been very positive. On the ground a lot of things have happened in the areas of cleanliness, health care and food. Saudi officials have gone all out to positively resolve all these issues,” Gen. Singh said.

“Let us wait for another two or three days for a positive solution. With the magnanimity that has been exhibited by the government of the Kingdom, things will smoothen out. Within the next two to three days we will be able to finally resolve all these issues,” he said.

“We have good relations with the government of Saudi Arabia and we would like to sort out these problems with the help and cooperation of the Kingdom.”

He said that lists of all those who want to return home are being finalized. Saudi officials have assured him that they will provide iqamas (residence permits) and exit visas. “The moment we submit the list, the necessary steps will be taken,” said the minister.

“In a very magnanimous gesture the government of the Kingdom has said that it will pay for the travel of workers who wish to return home. We cannot have anything more positive than this. There are people whom the government is permitting to transfer and relocate. This is something which is unprecedented,” he added.

The minister said that workers’ claims for dues will be filed. “Attorneys are being assigned by the Saudi government to file claims. Our embassy and the consulate are getting involved to pursue the claims. Whenever the dues are released and whatever is the legal framework in which settlement is reached, we will ensure that the money reaches the claimant,” he said.

About any prospective rehabilitation of the repatriated workers, Gen. Singh said that the central government has mandated it to state governments to deal with their people.

“We will encourage the states to help the workers who return home.” The minister praised the eMigrate system launched by the Indian government to streamline the recruitment process of Indian workers by employers outside India.

“eMigrate has been very effective. By this system we have a record of people going out to work, what kind of jobs they are going to, where they are working and with whom they are working. All this data earlier was not possible. In the coming years it will evolve into one of the best systems not only for our government but also for the governments of the countries where Indian workers go to work,” said Singh as he took leave to visit a labor camp in Jeddah.

At the camp, he was greeted with chants of “Modi zindabad” (long live Prime Minister Modi) and “Sushma Swaraj zindabad” (long live Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj).

It was Swaraj who took up the issue of these workers and assigned Gen. Singh to visit the Kingdom. She has been following up the developments on an hourly basis and updating everyone through her tweets. She also has informed the Indian parliament about these issues and the steps her ministry has taken.

Indian Minister of State for External Affairs Gen. (Rtd.) V.K. Singh visiting the Sogex labor camp of Saudi Oger Ltd. in Jeddah on Friday. He was accompanied by Indian Ambassador Ahmad Javed, Director General of the Ministry of Labor and Social Development branch in Makkah Abdullah Al-Olayan, Consul General Noor Rahman Sheikh, and other Indian officials.

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