Dubai crisis, contigency plans required: Goa MP

Mr Shantaram Naik M.P has demanded that a contingency plan should be prepared , by respective States and Central Government to assist thousands of Indians employed in gulf countries who may have to return due to termination of their jobs and non-renewal of their job contracts. Making a Special Mention Mr Shantaram Naik M.P. has said that economic crisis in Dubai have cast a dark shadow on the future of Indian labour force working in Dubai and other Gulf countries.

It is said that when Dubai sneezes south India ,including , State of Goa catches cold. Maximum number of Indian go to United Arab Emirates ,and that, last year alone 3.4 lakh Indian went to the country. However, due to the recent crisis, seeking jobs in Middle East is going to be quite tough. People are losing their jobs in great numbers. Contracts are not being renewed , and that, those who will be coming to enjoy Christmas vacation in Goa and Kerala will be in constant fear of loosing their jobs, he said.

As regards Goa , as it is, 40,000 Non Resident Goans have returned to Goa in the past several 10 months, as a result of the global financial meltdown. For a State with barely 14 lakh population this is a big number, Mr Naik said. A recent study has indicated that nearly 12% of Goa's 14 lakh population has members living and working abroad , and that, nearly 60% are in the Gulf region, Mr Naik said.

Goa enjoyed a remittance of nearly Rs 700 crore from Non Resident Goans equivalent to 6.3% of the state domestic product and the country as a whole will loose heavily with the sudden drop of remittances, Mr Naik feared. There is already a strain on basic amenities like water , electricity, transport etc. due to the influx of migrants as also due to the tourist inflow, Mr Naik added.