Sachin Malik Delhi: In a major diplomatic and humanitarian initiative aimed at making the working environment Safer, Simpler and more accessible for Indian women workers employed in Gulf countries, the Government of India has established seven modern ‘One-Stop Centres’ in major cities across the region. These centres are designed to Provide immediate, coordinated assistance to Indian women facing difficult or crisis Situations.
Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh Provided this information in the Rajya Sabha in response to a Question regarding the difficulties faced by Indians working in Gulf countries and the Government of India approach to addressing them. Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Singh had Sought details on the Issue.
According to the minister, around 10 Million Indian citizens live in the Gulf region, including approximately 4.5 Million in the UAE, 2.7 Million in Saudi Arabia, 1 Million in Kuwait, 820,000 in Qatar, 670,000 in Oman and 310,000 in Bahrain.
Between 2014 and June 2026, a total of 5,025,506 migrant workers holding Passports under the Emigration Check Required (ECR) category were Granted Emigration Clearance (EC) for overseas employment in the Six Gulf Countries.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Singh said that Indian women workers can be recruited only through a Government-registered Recruiting Agent (RA) or directly by a Foreign Employer (FE) registered with the concerned Indian mission or Post. Foreign employers hiring Indian women workers are required to deposit a financial Guarantee of US$2,500 with the concerned Indian mission or Post. The employment contract between the worker and the employer must also be attested by the Indian Mission.
To assist women workers, seven One-Stop Centres have been established in Manama, Muscat, Doha, Riyadh, Dubai, Jeddah and Kuwait City. These centres Provide dedicated helplines and facilitate access to medical and Police assistance, legal aid, counselling and Psychosocial Support.
The minister said various Channels have also been established for resolving complaints from both women and men workers. These include walk-in appointments, email, 24-hour multilingual emergency helplines, WhatsApp Numbers, the MADAD Portal and E-Migrate Services.
In addition, Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendras (PBSK) have been established in Dubai, Jeddah and Riyadh to Provide Guidance and counselling to Indian workers.
Singh also Shared data with Parliament regarding complaints received by Indian missions and their Prompt resolution, Stating that most cases were resolved immediately. He further said that Indian workers travelling abroad for employment are also benefiting significantly from the Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana (PBBY).
