CHENNAI (Tamil Nadu) Aug 20- With an improved job scenario and better pay in India, the number of South Indians seeking work in the Gulf has seen a rapid decline in the last five years, the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs said.
While 88,389 workers with below matriculation qualifications left for the Gulf in 2008, the number fell significantly to 21,129 last year, Press Trust of India (PTI) quotes the Ministry as saying in report.
The major decline was in 2009 when only 43,174 South Indians went abroad, with the number decreasing to 15,571 in 2010.
Although there was an increase of 24,585 in 2011, it slipped to more than 20,000 in 2012.
And from January to July this year, the number of South Indians seeking employement in the Gulf stood at 10,317.
Protector of Emigrants (PoE) D Jai Sankar said: “The decline in number means the job scenario here is improving for South Indians and they are satisfied with the pay. This could also mean people are not ready to go abroad for a much less pay and if they can find a job of their choice here.”
Asked whether one reason for the declining numbers were some Gulf countries’ move to send home workers overstaying there without valid documents, Sankar said that could be a possibility.
During the five-year period, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) topped the list of country with the highest South Indian job seekers at 56,220, followed by Kuwait and Malaysia with 52,739 and 43,564 respectively.
Oman (25,460), Qatar (13,188), Bahrain (6,555), Saudi Arabia (4,011) have also continued to attract workers from India.
-BERNAMA
