Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru (MS)

Bengaluru, Apr 22: Indians working in gulf are facing the grim situation of salary cuts and losing jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Fuel-rich OPEC countries are seeing unheard and unseen financial crisis due to the reduced demand for fuel in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic that has gripped the whole world. The oil companies have reduced their production as well as distribution. All the organizations that are dependent on these companies are also going through financial crisis. So the Indians working in these countries are on the verge of facing huge salary cuts or loss of jobs.

Among the NRIs working in gulf countries most belong to states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka state. Recently, a person of Karnataka origin, working as an accountant had received a message on his mobile that he will be losing his job due to the crisis. His family is facing a difficult situation of not able to continue nor come back to India. His whole family was dependent on his income.

Skilled Indians who have highly paid jobs are deciding to stay back in gulf so that their families can live a lavish life in India. But semi-skilled and unskilled workers are planning to come back to India.

According to the statistics available with the Indian foreign ministry there are 85.46 lac Indians working in gulf countries. It is estimated that over and above there might be ten lac labourers who does not have valid documents. Nearly three lac Keralites are planning to come back to India. It is estimated that around 15 lac Indians will come back to India by September in phases.