The helpline, Open 24x7, could be used by NRIs in distress to address their problems to the concerned officials in the ministry.
Deshmukh, who is a senior leader from the Vidarbha region, replaces Govindrao Adik.
Vayalar Ravi, the Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, announced that the 8th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas to be held at Vigyan Bhavan from January 7 to 9 would focus on empowerment of rural women.
An amendment to the Indian Immigration Act governing the conduct of manpower agents is now waiting for the mandatory clearance from the union cabinet, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi said in Dubai on Tuesday. Of the 56 complaints received so far this year, 13 licences were cancelled while 27 were suspended. Twenty-eight licences of recruiting agents were cancelled in 2006 and 65 were suspended.
Kerala will have to wait. The next Pravasi Bharatiya Divas will be held in Chandigarh," and not in Thiruvananthapuram, said Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi.
Top leaders of UPA allies met on Friday to fine-tune their political strategy as the ruling coalition braced towards a trust vote in the Parliament in the wake of withdrawal of support by Left parties, plunging the government into a minority.
In a radical break from the centuries-old dress code of the Sree Krishna temple in Guruvayur, the shrine's management on Thursday decided to allow women wearing churidars to enter it.
Expressing his opposition to a legislation for allowing non-Hindus to worship in temples in the state, Ravi said his case was entirely different as he is a Hindu and his son was also brought up as a Hindu.
In the wake of the recent instance of Bharatiya Janata Party member of Parliament Babubhai Katara attempting to smuggle a woman out of the country posing as his wife, the government is planning to make laws more stringent
Efforts are underway to ensure that Indian Medical Graduates are also allowed to appear unconditionally for the second round of recruitment that is likely to take place in April, Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi said.
India will soon make a comprehensive amendment to emigration laws to protect its labour force abroad, especially in the Gulf region, from being exploited by unscrupulous recruiting agents.
The proposals were discussed at a recent meeting between Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi and Minister of State for Women and Child Development Renuka Chowdhury, an official said.
The UAE and India have agreed to get rid of recruitment agencies by opening labour offices in India, Indian Minister for Overseas Affairs Vayalar Ravi said after a meeting with UAE Minister for Labour Ali bin Abdullah Al Kaabi. The offices will also educate overseas workers about UAE's labour laws and customs before they travel to the country.
India has restricted all women under 30 years of age who have not completed high school from being permitted to work abroad.
Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi said in New York on Friday that New Delhi is trying to negotiate for an agreement with the Bush Administration under which temporary Indian workers in the US would not have to pay social security taxes.
India plans to create a special centre to attract investments from overseas Indians as also to facilitate creation of a global Indian consortium to work with apex trade bodies, states of India and various associations of overseas Indians.
Taking serious view of a 29-year old Kerala woman landing in a prostitution racket in Oman after being lured with a housemaid job, India has asked its mission in Muscat to take up the case with the Omanese Government and seek action against her sponsors. Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi on Monday said that stringent action would also be taken if any agent was involved in the racket.
Do they, these atheist ministers, known what the rituals are? To change something, you first have to know it, to understand it do they?'
The matter could have been resolved with little fuss except for what some devotees, and representatives of Hindu organisations, claim is inspired fishing in troubled waters by the "atheistic" Communist government now in power in Kerala
It was high time that the priests and religious scholars introspected on giving up obsolete and superstitious practices like the 'punyaham,' he said.
The returnees included all Indians like overseas Indians, students, tourists, and businessmen.
Holding the 'nexus' between agents responsible for the 'exploitation' of Indian workers in Gulf countries, New Delhi on Friday said it would tighten rules for their recruitment.
'If any Pravasi attends the event he will not be disappointed,' says Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi.
The other new ministers introduced by the Prime Minister were Sushil Kumar Shinde, A R Antulay, Vayalar Ravi, Murli Deora, Ambika Soni and Saifuddin Soz, and 3 ministers given cabinet rank.
Pravasi centres to be set up in embassies
The high command's choice of Thennala Balakrishna Pillai and Vayalar Ravi for the election to the Rajya Sabha appears to have prompted the resignation.
All efforts are being made to bring home the bodies of the 21 Indians, who were killed in the boat mishap off the Bahrain coast, as early as possible to their respective home states, Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi said.
The change of guard in Maharashtra was expected in view of the party's poor performance in the recent Lok Sabha polls in the state.
Kodoth Govindan Nair has defied the Congress high command and filed his nomination.
He succeeded Allum Veerbhadrappa, who had expressed a desire to relinquish the post six months back.
The Indian government plans to make a database of its nationals imprisoned in various Gulf countries with a view to help them.
The team, comprising Vayalar Ravi, Pranab Mukherjee and Ghulam Nabi Azad, is right now meeting party legislators at Sahyadri Guesthouse at Malabar Hills.
However, he refused to divulge details of the meeting.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances