290 Indian nationals, who violated the residency laws, and were housed in centers in Kuwait departed for Kerala today via Jazeera Airways, reported Al Rai daily. Health precautions were taken to ensure the nationals were free of Coronavirus, and they were given a health certificate to present to the Indian health authorities upon their arrival.
These were the first group of illegal Indian workers departing Kuwait as part of a deportation plan running for 10 days, the daily reported.
The group is among about 6,000 illegal Indian migrants who had registered for repatriation under an amnesty plan announced by the Kuwaiti government last month, security sources said. They were housed at a government center as arrangements were made for their repatriation.
A total of 42,000 Indians, who are in violation of residency laws, are believed to be in Kuwait. The amnesty period allowed the illegal expatriates to return home without legal punishment and on government-sponsored flights.
Starting from Wednesday, three flights will be operated daily from Kuwait to return to India the Indian illegals under the deportation plan that will last for at least 10 days, the sources told Al Rai.
Nearly 25,000 out of 168,000 illegals from different nationalities have benefited from the Kuwaiti pardon scheme.