Saudi King orders to pay unpaid salaries; SR100 million to be deposited

[email protected] (ARAB NEWS)
August 8, 2016

Jeddah, Aug 8: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman on Sunday issued a series of directives to agencies concerned to address once and for all the cases of distressed workers of companies who have contracts with the government.king web

The king directed the Minister of Labour and Social Development to take necessary measures, in coordination with the Ministry of Finance, to oblige contracting companies to pay the salaries of their employees in accordance with the government's Wage Protection Program that ensures workers' salaries are fully paid.

According to sabq.org, the directive is for the government not to release what it owes those companies unless the Labor Ministry confirms that the companies have paid on time what they owe their employees.

The king's directives comes amid increasing complaints by workers that they have not been paid their salaries for months. Construction giant Saudi Oger, for one, has been the subject of complaints by thousands of its workers for not paying their salaries for the past nine months.

The issue came to a head when hundreds of expatriate workers of the company marched on the streets in Jeddah to air their grievances, saying that Saudi Oger management has simply ignored them.

Accomodation, exit visas

In one of his directives on Sunday, King Salman authorized the labor minister to also immediately address the housing and accommodation services of the distressed workers by contracting with companies that provide such services.

While the government of India and the Philippines as well as their communities in the kingdom have rallied behind their compatriots at Saudi Oger by providing them food, those of other nationalities have reportedly not gotten the same attention.

According to the king's directive, the cost of these services for the distressed workers are to be deducted from the employers' receivables from the government.

The king also commissioned the labor minister to coordinate with the Saudi Arabian airlines to transport foreign workers who wish to return to their countries and to charge the cost to their employers. The labor minister is also authorized to contract with legal consultancy agencies to pursue the financial claims of the workers in local courts.

In the case of workers in distress who wish to leave the kingdom, the king directed the Passport Department to facilitate issuance of final exit visas in coordination with the Foreign Ministry and relevant agencies.

SR100 million fund

An amount of SR100 million is to be deposited in the Saudi Arab Fund account for use to fulfill the king's orders. The fund is to be under the disposal of the labor minister, who will provide the Ministry of Finance with all details of the expenditures and the amounts spent. The Finance Ministry will then deduct the spent amounts from the floundering companies' accounts.

The king also instructed the labor minister to meet with representatives of countries concerned to discuss the issue of unpaid salaries and to explain the steps taken by the kingdom to address such issues.

“King Salman also directed labor minister to coordinate with the minister of culture and information to highlight the kingdom's efforts aimed at ending the suffering of the distressed workers especially the Indian and the Filipino workers and to ensure that this case was a mere individual mishap by one company and the number of affected workers is insignificant compared with the millions of other expats who are working in the public and he private sectors in KSA,” Sabq.org said.

Comments

Mohammed SS
 - 
Tuesday, 9 Aug 2016

This is a true quality and nature of blood, there is no Gangasara and energy of Haram mixed with their blood like our Indian Bakwas ministers, long live KSA and King Salman for the prompt step and to prove that your country is a safest and peaceful in the world

Fairman
 - 
Monday, 8 Aug 2016

Dear Dombiah,

Please don't play dombarata.

Coastal Digest may pro-Saudi. But it is not anti national.

Though pockets of unrest here, Still Saudi is the safest and peaceful place to live on.

God bless KSA

Abdul Latif
 - 
Monday, 8 Aug 2016

Generosity...Al Hamdulillah

Irfan
 - 
Monday, 8 Aug 2016

May Allah bless kingdom and the King Salman for his kind gesture.
Even our Govt also did amazing job by reaching out to those hard working people.

Rikaz
 - 
Monday, 8 Aug 2016

Good job His Royal Highness! May Allah help you.....you are just doing exactly what is said in the Holy Book of Quran....

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News Network
March 27,2020

Bengaluru, Mar 27: Karnataka has recorded the third death due to the Covid-19 virus. It is a man from Tumakuru with a travel history to Delhi. He had been put in isolation at the District Hospital in Tumakuru on March 24.

His travel history indicates that he travelled to New Delhi by the Sampark Kranti Express (Coach S6) on March 5 along with 13 members. They reached Hazrat Nizamuddin station in New Delhi on March 7 and went to the Jamia Masjid and rented an room at a lodge nearby.

He began the return journey to Karnataka by the Kongu Express on March 11 in Coach no. S9. On March 18, he developed cough and fever and visited a private hospital the next day. He was referred to the District Hospital in Tumakuru but on March 24, he left the hospital against medical advice and went to a private medical facility. He was referred back to the District Hospital, where he was put isolation.

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News Network
July 16,2020

Belgaum: Canon, Epson and Nikon reside in a house named "Click" in Karnataka's Belgaum district.

The newly built house of photographer couple Ravi and Krupa Hongal, which resembles a giant DSLR camera, has not only enamoured locals but has become quite a sensation on social media.

The three-storied camera-shaped house located in Shastri Nagar is an expression of passion and love for the art of photography of the couple whose children- three boys- have all been named after the iconic camera brands.

Their names ''Canon'', ''Epson'' and ''Nikon'' feature prominently on the house whose exterior resembles a camera. Just like a camera, the building has a glass window shaped as a viewfinder and another as a lens. It sports a wide film strip, a flash and even a memory card.

The walls of the house walls and its interior have graphics related to photography.

"I have been photographing since 1986. Building this house is like a dream come true. We also named our 3 children-Canon, Nikon and Epson. These all are three camera names. I love the camera and hence named them on camera companies name. My family were opposed to it, but we remain adamant," photographer Ravi told media persons.

Karnataka: A photographer couple, Krupa Hongal&Ravi Hongal, has built a camera-shaped house in Belgaum. Krupa (pic3) says,"It's a dream come true. We also named our 3 children-Canon,Nikon&Epson." Ravi (pic4) says,"We borrowed money for it&also sold our previous house."(14.07.20) pic.twitter.com/8Mkh1JOUk1

— ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2020
The photographer says the couple had to borrow money from relatives and friend for constructing the house. "We also sold our previous house to build this house," he added.

Krupa said that it was their cherished dream to build a house like a camera.

"My husband is a photographer. It was our dream to build a house like a camera. We planned and built this house. We feel like we are living inside a different world, inside a camera. I am very proud of my husband," she said.

Canon, their elder child said, "My friends used to ask me whether it was my real name. Now, I tell them yes, photography is my father's passion and hence he named me Canon."

On social media, the picture of the unique shaped house has been shared widely.

"This is called love for the passion," said one user on Twitter.

Another user commented: "A camera-obsessed photographer from India builds a camera-shaped house! 49-year-old Ravi Hongal has spent over $95,000 building the 3-story house, which looks like a camera in the town of Belgaum in India."

The family seems to be indeed living a picture-perfect dream.

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Agencies
July 23,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 23: A city hospital here has banned woman Covid patients from wearing dupatta (long scarf) or similar garments, after two women committed suicide, said an official on Thursday.

"Two patients committed suicides with their sarees, that's why we have changed the dress code," KC General Hospital superintendent Venkateshaiah said.

As part of the new dress code, the hospital has mandated that women patients should wear operation theatre dress, even though some older patients are not in favour of it.

Incidentally, both the deceased women went to the bathroom and hanged themselves with their sarees.

Meanwhile, the hospital has also asked the neighbouring patients to be vigilant and accompany them to the washroom.

"With the advice of our psychologist, two adjacent patients have been given the precaution that whenever a depressed patient goes to the bathroom, please go with them and stand outside to take care of them," said Vekateshaiah.

Similarly, the hospital is also thinking of giving a small dose of sedation to make them sleep in the night to avoid waking up.

To rejuvenate the spirits of the patients, the hospital has arranged televisions to show them the best health practices, programmes on meditation, movies and entertainment.

"We are not showing them only news, but also good food habits, how to take care of oneself amid Covid," he said.

Amidst all these efforts, the hospital's psychologist will continuously monitor the mental health of the patients with an aim to avoid any untoward incident.

Bengaluru continues to report the highest number of Covid cases, recording 2,050 on Wednesday, raising the city tally to 36,993, out of which 27,969 are active.

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