Kochi, June 21: Union Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi today said India will sign a labour agreement with Denmark as part of the Government’s effort to explore employment opportunities in European countries for skilled and semi-skilled Indian workers. Launching the ”Skill Up-gradation and Pre-departure Orientation Programmes” for potential emigrants from Kerala here, Mr Ravi said talks with the Denmark officials were over and the agreement would be signed in the near future. He said the Indian Government was planning to sign such agreements with other European countries to boost the employment opportunities for skilled and semi-skilled workers in the country.
Noting that the number of women going abroad on visit visa, especially to the Gulf countries, were on the rise, Mr Ravi said the Centre would take steps to regulate women going abroad on visit visa for work as the chances of they being expolited were high.
He said the Government had recently signed an agreement with Bahrain for better protection of Indian expatriates against unscrupulous bosses, including housemaids who were not covered by that country’s labour law.
—Agencies