Some 8 lakh Indians may be forced to leave Kuwait after the Gulf country’s parliamentary committee approved a draft expat quota bill seeking to gradually slash the number of foreign workers in the region. The National Assembly’s legal and legislative committee has determined that the Expat Quota Bill is constitutional.
What is the Kuwait Expat Quota bill?
According to the bill, Indians cannot exceed 15% of the population. This could result in 8 lakh Indians leaving Kuwait, as the Indian community constitutes the largest expat community in the country, totalling 14.5 lakh. The current population of Kuwait is 43 lakh, with Kuwaitis making up 13 lakh of the population, and expats accounting for 30 lakh.
How Kuwait provided employment to millions of Indians?
Kuwait is a sovereign Arab Emirates located in West Asia, bordering Saudi Arabia to the north and Iraq to the north and west. Kuwait is an Arabic word, meaning ‘a palace close to water’. This constitutional monarchy country with a population of about 30 lakhs has a parliamentary system of government. Its area is equal to those of Delhi. In 1990, Kuwait was invaded and occupied by Iraq. After seven months of Iraqi occupation, Kuwait could be saved by direct intervention of the United States military. The war that ensured between the US and Iraq is also known as the Gulf War. Not before leaving Kuwait, the Iraqi army blew up about 750 oil wells, resulting in a major economic and environmental tragedy for Kuwait. The war severely damaged Kuwait’s infrastructure.
Kuwait is the fifth richest country in the world in terms of oil storage and the eleventh wealthiest in the world in terms of per capita income. The process of exploration and exploitation of oil fields in Kuwait began in 1930. After becoming independent from the United Kingdom in 1961, the region has recorded unprecedented growth. Today, about 80% of the country’s government revenue comes from oil-made products. The currency here is Dinar which currently in the market can fetch 222 INR. This is also the reason why Kuwait has been a preferred destination for India to work.
What are the main reasons?
Since the beginning of the pandemic, news is making rounds in the country that policymakers and the Kuwait government are planning to reduce the number of foreigners in Kuwait. Amid a slump in oil prices and the coronavirus pandemic, there has been a spike in anti-expat rhetoric as lawmakers and government officials call for reducing the number of foreigners in Kuwait. Last month, Kuwait’s Prime Minister Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah proposed reducing the number of expats from 70% to 30% of the population
