Hyderabad: Advisor to the Telangana Government Mohammed Ali Shabbir assured full support to Telugus stranded Middle East countries amid the prevailing situation in the region.
He said the Telangana Government closely monitored developments in West Asia. Authorities also coordinated with the Union Government and Indian missions abroad to ensure the safety of residents from the State.
Shabbir Ali said Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had directed officials to maintain constant monitoring and coordination. The aim was to ensure timely help for Telangana citizens living in affected countries.
He added that the government remained committed to protecting the interests of people from Telangana who worked or lived abroad. Therefore, officials were maintaining close communication with relevant authorities.
Officials said senior representatives stationed at Telangana Bhavan in New Delhi stayed in regular contact with the Ministry of External Affairs and Indian embassies in the region. As a result, the coordination mechanism remained active to respond to distress calls from Telugus stranded Middle East nations.
Helpline for Telugus stranded Middle East activated
Meanwhile, the Telangana Government established a 24×7 control room at Telangana Bhavan in New Delhi. The facility aimed to assist Telugus stranded Middle East countries and support their families.
Officials said the control room would provide immediate assistance. It would also collect information about affected individuals and coordinate with authorities for help.
In addition, the facility would serve as the primary contact point for residents from Telangana facing difficulties in affected countries. Families seeking information about relatives could also approach the helpline.
The government assigned several officials to operate the round-the-clock helpline. They included Vandana Barua (+91 98719 99044), C.H. Chakravarthi (+91 99583 22143), Javed Husain (+91 99100 14749) and Rakshit Naik (+91 96437 23157).
Shabbir Ali said the Telangana Government stood firmly with its citizens. He added that authorities would take every possible step to extend support whenever required.
He also urged Telangana residents in affected regions to stay in touch with Indian embassies. At the same time, they could contact the State helpline if they required assistance.
Past initiatives for Telugus stranded Middle East workers
Shabbir Ali also recalled earlier initiatives to support overseas workers. He said the welfare of Telugus stranded Middle East countries had always remained a priority during his public service.
During his tenure as Minister for NRI Affairs in the undivided Andhra Pradesh government, several steps addressed problems faced by migrant workers.
He recalled that in October 2007 the then Congress government facilitated the return of 1,241 immigrants detained in the United Arab Emirates for lacking proper documents. The government arranged free air tickets for their return to India.
Later, in September 2008, nearly 45,000 people returned home from Gulf countries through coordinated efforts of the State Government and Indian missions abroad.
Shabbir Ali said he personally led a five-member delegation to study the conditions of Telugu workers in Gulf countries. Based on the findings, authorities arranged safe return for workers wherever necessary.
As part of that effort, about 10,000 workers received assistance in obtaining required documents at the Abu Dhabi Immigration Centre.
He said those experiences helped authorities understand migrant workers’ challenges. Consequently, the government could respond faster during emergencies.
The Advisor said the Telangana Government would continue monitoring the evolving situation in West Asia. He added that authorities would extend all possible assistance to ensure the safety and well-being of Telangana citizens living in the region.