Indian expats in Middle East worried about passport reform

News Network
January 18, 2018

The Indian government’s decision to do away with the address page in the Indian passport has received mixed reaction from social workers and expatriates in the Middle Eastern countries.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of government of India recently announced its decision to do away with the last page of the passport and other travel. The last page contains information such the name of parents, spouse, address, Emigration Check Required (ECR) and old passport number with date and place of issue of the holder of the passport.

Late last year, the Indian government also announced that NRIs are not eligible to apply for Aadhar - India's biometric identity card - nor are they required to link their Aadhar details to PAN cards or register it with their SIM cards. The decision to do-away with the address page on the passport raises questions as to what NRIs must do to avail services such as apply for SIM cards or open bank accounts in India.

Indian missions in the United Arab Emirates have stated that they are yet to receive official instruction from the Ministry in New Delhi before new passports can be issued. Pavan K. Rai, first secretary, consular affairs at the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, said: "We are yet to receive official instructions from New Delhi with this regard, and cannot comment on the decision's effects on NRI's in UAE. Once we get clear guidelines from the ministry, we can clarify processes for residents."

Orange is the new blue?

Furthermore, the proposal to issue 'an orange coloured' passport for Emigration Check Required (ECR) categories of people was met with ire, as social workers stated that it is discriminatory to segregate citizens who have not passed Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examinations.

The 'ECR' stamp in the current passport ensures the safety of uneducated and unskilled Indian workers, from the deprived socio-economic conditions, against prevailing legal conditions in foreign countries.

KV Shamsudheen, founder and chairman of Pravasi Bandhu Welfare Trust, has written a letter to the Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj requesting her to retract this decision as it would cause severe difficulty for NRI's.

He said: "It is not fair to segregate citizens who in the ECR category with and orange passport. The government is claiming the orange passport will save workers from exploitation. But that is not the case, they will be subject to discrimination, especially at immigration lines at international airports."

Social worker Girish Pant said that the decision has its pros and cons. "If workers are easily identified with the different coloured passport, they can avail services that would protect them against unscrupulous agents and job frauds. However, removal of the address could indeed cause increased paper work for NRIs, especially when it comes to getting their paperwork attested by various authorities."

Many countries demand parents' information for resident and visit visa purposes, said Shamsudheen, adding, "If the new passport is implemented, NRIs have to get a certificate showing parents' names' (birth certificate) from their home cities, that requires attestation by the Indian ministry of foreign affairs, embassies of the home country, and attestation by respective country's foreign ministry. It will be very cumbersome to NRIs. Applying for visas to foreign countries will be a technical nightmare," he said.

Another social worker in Dubai Kusum Dutta said: "When Aadhar was implemented, my family and I got it made. I feel proud to have an Aadhar with me, because it gives me a sense of identity. Though I am very happy that the government has taken such a bold step, I am a bit unsure if we're equipped electronically to handle this shift given our population. Both in India and abroad."

Comments

Muhammed Ali Uchil
 - 
Monday, 22 Jan 2018

Now, passport holders with ECR status would be issued a passport with orange color passport jacket

Treating India's migrant workers like second class citizens is completely unacceptable. This action demonstrates govt.'s discriminatory mindset. However well-intentioned the move to create different coloured passports for different kinds of travellers, it is wrong and must be reconsidered. Already officials treat citizens differently based on their class...different passport colors will worsen it.
While Indian passports have a blue cover, diplomatic and official passports have white and red jackets, respectively. Currently, barring diplomatic and official passports, all Indian passports have blue cover.So,let it be like that!

abbu
 - 
Sunday, 21 Jan 2018

AT THE END OF THE DAY MODI GOVT. SHOULD SHOW THE WORK.. THTS THE REASON HE IS DOING ALL THESE THINGS... THIS IS NOT A PRIMARY REQUIREMENT TO CHANGE THE PASSPORT COLOURS. THERE ARE SOO SOO MANY THINGS TO BE DONE WHICH MODI GOVT. PROMISED AND STILL IN PAGES....... WAKE UP GUYS WAKE UP... IF NOT NOW THEN WE ARE THE ONE WHO IS SUFFREING FROM THIS AND NOT THE MP'S OR MLA'S OR MINISTERS

Parson
 - 
Friday, 19 Jan 2018

Y this degradation for un-educated workers? Already big blunder is been created by MODI Govt by doing De-Monitization. All the black money was made white. No Black money came into govt's Hand. The poeple who will suffer wil be common man. PM, please stop this blunders what are u planing to create. Which fool gives you these idea, he shud be killed. Wasting Tax payers money for silly nonsense. Wake up Guys......Let BLUE b the BLUE.......

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News Network
June 28,2020

Udupi, Jun 28: A student appearing for the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) exams in Kaup taluk of Udupi district has tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection.

Officials of the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and Udupi District Health and Family Welfare Department have confirmed the report. 

The 16-year-old girl had appeared for the Kannada and Mathematics exams on June 25 and 27 respectively. 

Her throat swabs were sent for testing on June 27 after her father tested covid-19 positive. Today she too obtained positive report.  

The student is unlikely to appear for the science paper on June 29.

Meanwhile, health officers have ruled out the possibility of subjecting other students to covid-19 test as all necessary precautions such as physical distancing and usage of sanitization were taken in the examination centre.

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News Network
July 7,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 7: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Tuesday held a meeting with a team of officials from the Union Health Ministry in Bengaluru in view of COVID-19 pandemic.

The team of Union Health Ministry officials praised the state's COVID-19 management measures.

Arti Ahuja, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health, EMR director Ravindran met the Chief Minister during a two-day visit to the state. The team praised the State Government's efforts to gather information and identify co-morbid figures for the control of COVID-19.

During the meeting, it was discussed that in the following days, priority should be given to prevent death from COVID-19 and to provide adequate treatment for symptomatic infections.

In addition, Central team officials suggested that the COVID-19 guidelines should be followed in containment zones.

Officials informed about the steps being taken to treat COVID infected people in the state and stated that the High Flow Oxygen System is being implemented in all district hospitals and taluk hospitals in the state.  The process will be completed by August 15.

Health Minister B. Sriramulu, Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar, Chief Secretary to Government Vijayabhaskar and other senior officials were present during the meeting.

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coastaldigest.com news network
June 17,2020

Mangaluru, June 17: As many as 47 buses have been arranged by the district administration to transport 1,043 II PU students from the border areas of Kerala to the respective examination centres in Dakshina Kannada.

The II PU English examination, which was postponed in Karnataka due to covid lockdown, will be held on June 18. A total of 26,942 students are expected to appear for the examination across the district. Among them 6322 students have chosen to write their exam in the centres near to their hometown, following the COVID-19 pandemic. As many as 1,043 students are expected to come from Kerala.

22 KSRTC buses and 11 schools buses have been arranged from Talapady toll gate near Mariyashrama Church, 2 each KSRTC buses from Punyakoti Nagara in Mudipu, Bayar and Anekal in Vittal border, 1 KSRTC bus from Pathur in Kurnadu border, 3 KSRTC buses from Saradka in Vittal border, school buses from Kayar Padav in Puttur border, Panjikallu in Sullia border, Karike in Sullia border and Alatti Baddadka have been arranged.

The students have been asked to be present at a designated place to board the bus at 7 am and have to get their hall ticket and identity card, said DC Sindhu B Rupesh.

All the students should mandatorily wear masks and use sanitisers before entering the examination centres. The principals of colleges, where students from Kerala, are studying have been asked to deploy staff to make arrangements to ensure that students reach the examination centres on time and get back home after the exam.

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