Saudi Arabia bans foreign workers in 12 sectors; Indian expats to be affected

Agencies
February 6, 2018

New Delhi, Feb 6: In a bid to pressure companies into hiring more Saudi citizens and reduce unemployment in the country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has imposed a restriction on the expatriates from working in 12 sectors.

The tighter policy has been approved by Labor Minister Ali bin Nasser al-Ghafis, a report in Prabhat Khabar said.

The new rule could potentially affect large numbers of people since about 12 million foreigners work in Saudi Arabia, doing many of the strenuous, dangerous and lower-paid jobs shunned by 20 million Saudi citizens.

The restriction is also likely to affect over 30 lakh Indians who live and work in Saudi Arabia.

Minister of Labour and Social Development will restrict working in these 12 sectors in a phased manner.

The following sectors will be restricted for hiring of expatriates from September 11, 2018:

- Car and motorbike showrooms

- Readymade clothes stores

- Home and office furniture stores

- Home appliances and kitchen utensils stores

The following sectors will be restricted for hiring of expatriates from November 9, 2018

- Electronics stores

- Watches and clocks stores

- Optics stores

The following sectors will be restricted for hiring of expatriates from January 7, 2019

- Medical equipment and supplies stores

- Building material stores

- Auto spare parts stores

- Carpet selling stores

- Sweet shops

The jobless rate among Saudis aged 15 to 24 stood at 32.6 percent last year, according to the International Labour Organisation. Saudi Arabia posted an economic contraction in 2017 for the first time in eight years due to severe austerity measures.

The new rule is a part of the ongoing economic reforms launched last year to ease joblessness among Saudis by 2020. Saudi Arabia is India's fourth largest trade partner after China, the US and the UAE.

The country is a major source of India's energy requirement as it accounts for almost one-fifth of India's crude oil requirement.

Comments

Nagesh
 - 
Tuesday, 6 Feb 2018

maybe they could sell pakodas there.

 

Hari
 - 
Tuesday, 6 Feb 2018

Why it affects only workers? What about the people who running companies or business there? Through them country getting benefit. so those people needed..!

Kumar
 - 
Tuesday, 6 Feb 2018

It will affect more to Indian economy. Indian economy bulit by arab countries money... by indian people who work in arab countries

Danish
 - 
Tuesday, 6 Feb 2018

Indirectly they are doing Swadeshi movement. many countries following the same thing.

Mohan
 - 
Tuesday, 6 Feb 2018

India should do the same for creating more job oppurtunities to Indian citizens

Ganesh
 - 
Tuesday, 6 Feb 2018

Many countries doing the same for protecting their people. Foreigners doing work their may create lack of jobs for citizens.

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News Network
January 11,2020

Mysuru, Jan 11: City Police has intensified its search for a girl student who a displayed 'Free Kashmir' poster during a protest two days back.

According to police, a girl student displayed the poster carrying an anti-national message, during the protest organised by University of Mysore Researchers Association and other organisation on Wednesday to oppose the attack on the students and the teachers in Jawaharlal Nehru University in the National Capital. An officer said that as per the documents available, it appears that a girl student displayed the placard for a few minutes.

"We are looking for the accused". The Jayalakshmipuram police have taken up suo motu cognisance of the case. Meanwhile. the office of Governor Vajubhai Vala, on Thursday, sought a detailed report from the University of Mysore (UoM) over the incident. The city police have booked the protestors under Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

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News Network
June 12,2020

Bengaluru, June 12: The Karnataka government has withdrawn its notification that allowed factories to extend working hours up to 10 hours a day and 60 hours a week, with immediate effect.

The extension of work hours was from eight hours a day and 48 hours a week. On May 22, the government had exempted all the factories registered under the Factories Act, from the provisions of Section 51 (weekly hours) and Section 54 (daily hours), till August 21 subject to certain conditions.

"Whereas, having examined the provisions further, the Government of Karnataka now intends to withdraw the said notification," the state government in a fresh notification dated June 11 said.

It said, "Therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 5 of Factories Act, 1948 (Act No. 63 of 1948), the Government of Karnataka hereby withdraws the Notification dated 22-05-2020 with immediate effect."

According to the Karnataka Employers' Association, a petition was filed in the High Cour challenging the May 22 notification as "illegal, arbitrary and in violation" of Section 5 of the Factories Act which permits exemption from any of the provisions of the Factories Act only in case of Public Emergencies'.

During the course of hearing on June 11 an observation was made by the High Court, that it may have to quash the notification unless the government clarifies as to what is the 'Public Emergency' involved to enhance the working hours by exempting some provisions of the Factories Act, it said.

The court further observed that the government should make a submission on June 12 in this behalf. However, the government withdrew the notification on June 11 itself. Recently states like Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh too had retracted after permitting extending work hours.

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Agencies
March 15,2020

New Delhi, Mar 15: The new rules for debit and credit cards to increase security and reduce frauds kick in from Monday. In January, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had issued new rules to improve user convenience and increase the security of card transactions. These rules will help in curbing the misuse of debit and credit cards.

RBI has directed banks to allow only domestic card transactions at ATMs and PoS terminals in India at the time of issuance/reissuance of card. For international transactions, online transactions, card-not-present transactions and contactless transactions, customers will have to separately set up services on their card.

These rules will be applicable for new cards from March 16. Those with old cards can decide whether to disable any of these features.

As per the existing rules, these services used to come automatically with the card, but now it will start at the request of the customer.

Debit or credit card customers who have not yet done any online transaction, contactless transaction or international transaction with the card, then these services on the card will automatically stop from March 16.

The Reserve Bank has asked all banks to provide mobile banking, net banking option to enable limit and enable and disable service 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If the customer makes any change in the status of the card, the bank will alert the customer through SMS/email and send the information.

Issuers shall provide to all cardholders facility to switch on/off and set/modify transaction limits (within the overall card limit, if any, set by the issuer) for all types of transactions -- domestic and international, at PoS/ATMs/online transactions/contactless transactions, etc.,

The provisions, however, are not mandatory for prepaid gift cards and those used at mass transit systems.

The latest instructions come in the wake of rising instances of cyber frauds and the huge increase in the use of cards.

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