New Delhi: With many Indian housemaids facing problems during work abroad, the government today asked all domestic workers to register with the embassies so that their interests could be protected.

All domestic workers, including women, should have a written agreement and should inform the embassy regarding their employment and whereabouts, Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi said here. "It is important to protect the honour and safety of women labourers," he said addressing a press conference on the upcoming Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.

Expressing the government's commitment to protect the interests of Indians abroad, he said India has already spoken to two Gulf countries, including United Arab Emirates (UAE).

These countries have set up a regulatory body called "Manpower Regulatory Authority" to keep an account of the movement of Indian workers serving there, the minister said. On the issue of deportation of some Indian workers by the UAE in the recent past, Ravi said these were the cases of "overstaying".

"Many of the workers were unaware as to when their visas expire because they had to surrender it to their employers on arrival," he said suggesting that workers should do away with "sponsors" who also tend to confiscate their passports and exploit the workers.

"Workers should be in direct contact with the employers instead and can keep their passports with themselves," said Ravi.

He praised the Indian Industry in the Middle East and the CII for absorbing the workers who were deported to India. 

Source : PTI