Cabinet reviews Haj preparations

The Council of Ministers, chaired by Crown Prince Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, reviewed the Kingdom’s preparations for the annual pilgrimage, which is likely to start on Oct. 2.
Prince Salman highlighted Saudi Arabia’s efforts in the service of pilgrims, including the expansion of the two holy mosques and the implementation of giant projects in the holy sites for the welfare of the guests of God.
The Kingdom has deployed about 70,000 officers, including traffic POLICE, to ensure the safety and security of pilgrims.
About 900,000 foreign pilgrims have already arrived from different parts of the world.
Culture and Information Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja said the Cabinet expressed its pride on the Kingdom’s 84th National Day, while highlighting the progress it has achieved under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.
The Cabinet also reviewed regional and global efforts to combat terrorism and praised a statement issued by the Council of Senior Islamic Scholars denouncing terrorism as a heinous CRIME and backing the government’s campaign to fight extremists and terrorists.
The Cabinet expressed the Kingdom’s deep regret for events taking place in Yemen, which threaten its security and stability, and welcomed an agreement of peace and national partnership signed by political parties.
Saudi Arabia hopes that this agreement would enable Yemen to overcome the present crisis, pointing out what was expressed by the GCC Ministerial Council following a meeting in New York emphasizing the six-member group’s support for Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to maintain legitimacy and stop bloodshed.
Khoja said the Cabinet approved a defense cooperation agreement with Indonesia, which was signed in Jakarta on 22/03/1435H. It also endorsed another accord with the UN Office for Coordination on Humanitarian Affairs.
The Cabinet renewed the membership of Dr. Fahd bin Abdullah Al-Samari in the Board of Directors of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA). It appointed Dr. Hani Aburas, Dr. Abdulwahid bin Khalid Al-Hamid, Abdullah bin Said Al-Mubti, Mansour bin Saleh Al-Maiman, Abdullah bin Ali Al-Majdouie, and Abdulwahab bin Mohammed Al-Fayez as members of the Board of Directors of SCTA for three years.
The Cabinet reshuffled the board of directors of the Riyadh Development Authority, with the Riyadh governor as its chairman. The 14-member board includes representatives from various government departments.
The Cabinet also reshuffled the INSURANCE Dispute Settlement Committee in Riyadh.
Dr. Mohammed bin Hamad Al-Amoghaiuli is the new chairman, while Dr. Ayedh bin Sultan Al-Buqami and Dr. Miteb bin Saleh Al-Ashaiwi are members.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/634396

50,000 Indians deported during amnesty

Around 50,000 Indian expatriates, mainly unskilled laborers, were deported from Saudi Arabia until mid-September following an amnesty announced by the Saudi government, according to an Indian diplomat.

The figures include workers without valid residency papers or work permits as well as Haj or Umrah overstayers, who were all issued emergency travel documents by the Indian missions inRiyadh and Jeddah during the amnesty period.

“This is a record repatriation exercise carried out by the Indian diplomatic missions in cooperation with Saudi government agencies,” T.C. Barupal, first secretary at the Indian Embassy who looks after community welfare issues, said in Riyadh on Sunday.

Barupal, who was chief guest at a cultural celebration organized by the Riyadh-based Aligarh Muslim University Old Boys Association (AMUOBA) to mark the Kingdom's National Day, revealed the figures and spoke about growing Saudi-India relations.

Barupal together with AMUOBA President M. Shamsuddin Shams, Vice President Mohammed Ahmed Badshah, and General Secretary Salman Khalid, also lit the traditional candle to mark the opening of an Urdu poetry session organized on the sidelines of the event.

Hanif Tarin, a well-known Urdu poet credited with writing about 12 books and several articles in different journals so far, chaired the poetry session.

Barupal said plans were under way to set up an Indian Workers Resource Center for providing information and a counseling service to members of the Indian community.

The center will also have IT facilities, a facility for web-based attestation, capability to track down all complaints registered and to extend all possible assistance to workers.

According to a report published by the Indian Union Ministry of Overseas Affairs, the Indian government has initiated this pilot project, which is a free, walk-in resource center providing Indian workers, especially semi-skilled and unskilled laborers, direct access to welfare services.

Barupal said India and the Kingdom had forged closer ties in all sectors. Two-way trade exceeded $21 billion in 2010-11, a sevenfold increase over the last five years, he added.

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