- It is well documented, and the entire country is quite aware of how the Indian professionals looking for greener pastures and better employment opportunities have shifted base to every nook and corner of the world. Since times immemorial, humankind has been known to move around in search of better livelihood, new horizons, and new opportunities as the explorer inside us tends to take far and away. No wonder, several of those adventurous explorers could establish hitherto unexplored virgin lands into something habitable to humankind. History is replete with adventurers establishing unheard-of places through the sheer dent of inquisitiveness, determination, hard work, and enterprising streak running in their veins.
PC: Los Angeles Times
- A big salute to our ancestors for making our lives much more comfortable by unearthing newer destinations during their adventurous maneuvers. That tradition has continued to this day. Little wonder that the Indian citizens too have made their presence felt around the world by establishing themselves and contributing immensely to our GDP growth in the form of remittances. India topped the remittance global chart in 2023 with an inflow of $125 billion, or 3.4% of GDP. That was a direct boost to the income of millions of families. As newspaper reports suggest, several families that benefitted from it would have to thank children engaged in blue-collar work as well. People are our greatest asset if governments take steps to harness this resource.
- Mind you, we are in a century of demographic transformation. Look around, wealthier countries are aging rapidly, leading to severe labor shortages. There’s no way to offset this problem except through immigration. This is where India scores. Our median age is around 29, and we are home to millions of eager young people who are willing to fill the gaps in the labor market for blue-collar work. Note that Kerala alone has people working in 182 countries, which is just 11 short of the full membership of the UN General Assembly. Blue-collar workers are vulnerable to exploitation by agents because they lack the means to gather adequate information on potential employers. Of course, Kerala has a long tradition of doing so with great aplomb.
PC: Indian Journal of Diplomacy
- Most hearteningly, the initiative of states such as Telangana, Haryana, and Jharkhand is impressive as it’s a purposeful way of matching the needs of overseas employers with job aspirants in many areas, including skilling. As such, all states will do well to have an emigration minister sooner than later. However, given the structural factors shaping the global labor market, GOI needs to be more proactive here. The next govt should have a standalone minister for emigration. This cannot be an ornamental post. Given the paramount importance of jobs, this ministry will be at the heart of India’s economic policy. It must liaise with MEA, skill development ministry, and states. Yes, the PM must back it fully. Hopefully, such a move will be considered shortly.
