As the war crisis escalated in West Asia, the Bihar govt on Monday announced a dedicated helpline to support the safety and assistance needs of expats from the state employed in the region.
Deepak Anand, secretary of the labour resources and migrant workers welfare department, issued a special helpline number — 72177 88114 — from Bihar Bhavan in Delhi to ensure timely help for migrant people of Bihar living abroad and their families.
Sources in the govt said although they do not have an exact figure for the number of people from Bihar residing in West Asian countries, they estimated it to be around 2 lakh.
“A high-level meeting was held at the Union ministry level, and the issue is being monitored minutely,” said a source.
While talking to TOI over the phone, Anand said the state govt was fully committed to the safety of its citizens and workers, and that the arrangement was made in view of the tense situation in West Asia so that no migrant from Bihar feels alone during the crisis. He said the helpline can be used for information, assistance, and resolution of problems faced by the migrant workers.
According to the department, the helpline will be monitored round the clock, and swift action will be taken when required, including coordination with agencies concerned.
Anand added that the govt’s priority is to ensure safety, dignity, and facilities of Bihar’s workers employed abroad. He appealed to families in the state to use the helpline if any relative working in West Asia is facing difficulties, stating that the initiative is aimed at providing reassurance and strengthening trust between migrant workers and their families.
When asked if they received any call for help from stranded migrants, or any group which went on a tourist visa and got stranded, Aanand said, “We haven’t got any such call so far.”
A Patna-native working in Qatar shared his ordeal and said they have been passing sleepless nights as they could hear the noise of explosions. “No doubt the situation is tense here, but we are more worried about our family, who too are going through sleepless nights. For their satisfaction, we hide the truth and tell them that we are in a better situation,” he added.
