Modi announces welfare fund, e-migrant portal for expatriates

Dubai: Indian expatriates in trouble can now get financial help, including for fighting legal cases, under a new scheme announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday as part of various measures for the welfare of diaspora.

"A welfare fund for diaspora is to be set up for their benefit, to help them legally so that they can deal with problems," Modi said while addressing a gathering of over 50,000 Indian expats in the Dubai Cricket Stadium here.

Modi noted that Indian mission in UAE has set up an e-migrant portal to help Indian migrant workers and an online platform 'MADAD' to assist the diaspora. However, he said that it has come to his notice that there were some technical problems regarding the e-migrant portal.

The Prime Minister said he has instructed the Indian embassy in UAE to solve the technical problems faced by the e-migrant portal in one month's time. "I am sure the technical problem will be solved by the embassy," Modi said.

Modi said that he will also look into other problems faced by the Indian diaspora like school admissions. "I have told them to increase the number of schools. Let us see, we will take steps to benefit you," Modi said.

He also directed the embassy to hold counsellor camps once a month wherever there is a heavy contingent of Indian workers, so that their problems can be resolved. Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit UAE in 34 years, said, "Wherever my Indians are, we never see the colour of the passport, their link with the motherland is enough."

He wound up his 70-minute speech by asking the crowd to chant after him "Bharat Mata ki Jai" with raised arms.