வளைகுடா வேலைகளுக்கு கேரளாவில் மவுசு குறைவு

தற்போது வளைகுடாவில் வேலைகளுக்கு போக கேரளாவினர் த்யாராக இல்லை. 6500 ரூபாய்தான் சம்பளமே தருகிறார்கள். அதுவும் சரியாக் தருவதில்லை. வேலையாட்களை அடிமையாக மதிக்கிறார்கள் என்ற காரணத்தாலும், இந்தியாவிலேயே அதைவிட அதிகமாக சம்பளத்துக்கு வேலை கிடைப்பதாலும், கேரளாவிலிருந்து வளைகுடாவுக்கு போகும் ஆட்கள் எண்ணிக்கை குறைகிறது.

அந்த கேவலமான சம்பளமும் கொடுக்கவில்லை என்பதற்காக 4000க்கும் மேற்பட்ட வளைகுடா இந்தியர்கள் போராடினார்கள் என்பதால், அவர்களை கைது செய்திருக்கிறது துபாய் அரசு.

Kerala's Gulf exodus now a trickle
1 Nov 2007, 0001 hrs IST,Ananthakrishnan G ,TNN


THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: If there was a single factor that left an indelible mark on Kerala's economy since the mid-70s, it was the large scale movement of people from this southern state to the Gulf.

However, in the last decade, owing to factors like war, terrorism as also tighter immigration laws and bad pay packages, the trend is on the wane.

Only a week back, authorities in Dubai detained about 4,000 Asian labourers, many of them Indians. While most were released, roughly 160 workers, out of which nearly 90 are Indians, remained in custody for indulging in violence.

These workers in Jebel Ali had gone on strike protesting against poor working conditions. Observers are not surprised, given that a construction worker in UAE hardly gets anything more than 600 dirhams (Rs 6,500).

"That's no longer lucrative. A reasonable living space alone costs about 700 dirhams, and along with other expenses there’s hardly any scope for savings," says Sunil from Kottayam, who chucked his job in the Gulf and returned to work for a construction company engaged in the North-East.

There are other reasons as well. "Falling dollar has meant fewer rupees when our salaries are repatriated to India," says Unnikrishnan, a doctor in Abu Dhabi. "Also the hike in pay packets has been nominal, whereas costs have gone through the ceiling," he says.

A recent study by Kerala government's Non-Resident Keralites' Affairs (NORKA) says there has been a sharp fall in the number of Malayalees opting for the Gulf since 1998. "The flow has dipped by 5% in recent years," says NORKA general manager S M Najeeb.