Many Indian workers live there in one roomThey live in small settlements away from residential areas.Kuwait ranked as worst place to work in survey
More than 40 Indian workers died in a fire in a building in Mangaf Block of Ahmadi province of Kuwait. Around 9 lakh Indian workers work in Kuwait. It is considered the worst place in the Gulf countries in terms of working and living. Reports about this are often published. The situation is such that 10-15 workers live in one room there. People who went there have also written about this in their memoirs.
Kuwait government and employers are always accused of making Indian workers work for longer hours than the stipulated time. They pay them less. Often they even stop their wages. There are so many complaints of harassment that the Indian embassy there had to open a complaint redressal cell. You can find information about this cell by searching on the internet.
poor living conditions of workers
There are many such buildings in many cities, especially in the port cities, which are built in a modest way away from the residential areas. The foreign workers who come to every building are crammed there because they are neither in a position to spend more money here nor are they in a position to get better living places. Therefore, the rooms of every building are filled with more workers.
These workers go there from Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. However, their experiences there are generally not good.
the news minute According to a report published some time back, the condition of the workers living here is not only bad, but they also have to face bad treatment from the employers. Often, news comes from here that Indian workers do not get salary for three to four months. Employers keep them in bad places. Water supply is cut off. Ration is stopped. They are threatened to be kicked like a football. Companies even keep these workers’ passports with them. Two out of every three people in Kuwait are foreigners.
Indian workers protest in Kuwait over poor conditions> (courtesy the news minute)
Gulf countries are the worst in terms of work
Some time ago, a well-known Gulf website www.agbi.com conducted a survey (https://www.agbi.com/lifestyle/2022/07/welcome-to-kuwait-the-worlds-worst-expat-destination/). In which most people said that they are unhappy with the opportunities in Kuwait. They are fed up with the poor quality of life there. They have no connection with the local people. Expats living in Kuwait call it the worst place in the world to live and work. Expats feel that they cannot express their opinions openly here.
Local residents look down upon the workers
The survey said that the migrant workers living here probably mix well with the local residents, because the local residents generally do not like them. A migrant from Britain complained, “The local people here are not as friendly as in other countries in the Middle East.”
Unhappy work culture
The survey also said that expats are unhappy with Kuwait’s business culture, with a large number of people dissatisfied with their work-life balance. 26 percent are dissatisfied with their working hours. Less than half believe they are paid fairly for their work.
People coming from outside cannot buy real estate here. Therefore, people coming here from outside for work are not able to stay here for long.
The people of Kuwait depend largely on Indian workers
According to the website of the Indian Embassy in Kuwait, Kuwait is largely dependent on Indian labourers and staff. The Indian community here is 21 per cent of the total population and the share of Indians in the total number of workers is 30 per cent.
A country with a once modest economy
Kuwait was a small trading port in the 19th to early 20th centuries. It had large scale trade with India. The economy was very modest. Between the 1970s and 1980s, Kuwait made rapid economic progress due to its oil reserves. The Indian community played an important role in this development. The total population of Kuwait is around 50 lakhs.
Indian doctors and nurses in abundance
Kuwait’s medical system is managed by Indian professional doctors and paramedical staff. There are about 1,000 Indian doctors, 500 Indian dentists and about 24,000 Indian nurses in Kuwait. The condition of professionals is better than that of labourers. There are many Indians in high positions here, their life is also better but the labour class lives in poor conditions.
FIRST PUBLISHED : June 12, 2024, 22:03 IST