Modi announces welfare fund to help diaspora

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday announced a welfare fund for the Indian diaspora in the UAE to help them in legal cases, and said he would also look into the issue of increasing the number of schools for the diaspora.

Addressing thousands of cheering diaspora, estimated at around 50,000 at the Dubai Cricket Stadium, Modi said an e-migrant portal has been created to help Indian migrant workers and an online platform 'MADAD' to assist the diaspora.

Modi said he has instructed the Indian embassy in UAE to solve some technical problems dogging the e-migrant portal in a month's time. "I am sure the technical problem will be solved by the embassy," he said.

He also said that most Indian workers do not have money to run from place to place to solve their problems.

"I have directed the embassy that wherever Indians are collected, to hold counsellor camps once a month, and sit and meet the workers and take steps to resolve the problems," he said, to loud cheering.

He said a welfare fund for diaspora is to be set up for their benefit, to help them legally so that they can deal with problems.

With regard to school problems, Modi said he has spoken about it and "told them to increase the number of schools. Let us see, we will take steps to benefit you", he said.

Modi said "wherever my Indians are, we never see the colour of the passport, their link with the motherland is enough", to loud cheering.

He ended his speech by asking the crowd to say after him "Bharat Mata ki Jai" with raised arms.

The entire stadium with the thousands of Indians stood up, and with raised arms, raised the slogan after the prime minister.

Modi's speech lasted for over an hour.