The first batch of Nepali migrant workers, who have been stranded in Kuwait for months, will be repatriated in the next few days, according to the Nepali Embassy in Kuwait. 

According to Gyan Bahadur Magar, second secretary at the Nepali mission in Kuwait, the embassy is coordinating with various concerned agencies for the safe repatriation of a group of 21 Nepalis, who have been stranded in a Kuwaiti company without proper food, remuneration and works.

“We are doing the needful to bring them back. In the first phase, we will be sending 21 of them in a few days,” Magar said. 

According to embassy estimates, close to 300 Nepali nationals are employed at Kharafi Nationals.

Following media reports that the Nepali workers had been mistreated by the company, the government decided to initiate their rescue efforts. A joint meeting of concerned bodies at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers (OMPCM) on December 8 decided to rescue the Nepalis stranded in Kuwait.

The meeting was told that the embassy had been waiting for the required money for rescuing Nepali nationals, living in pathetic conditions for months. 

However, the Foreign Employment Promotion Board (FEPB)— the concerned body for the welfare for migrant workers, including their rescue—said that it has already sent money to the embassy. 

“We have sent the money to the Nepali Embassy in Kuwait for the repatriation of Nepali citizens. We send funds to embassies across the Gulf and other countries every year for helping out needy Nepalis,” said Raghuraj Kafle, executive director of the FEPB. 

Rs1 million has been allocated to the Nepali Embassy in Kuwait for this fiscal year as per the decision taken on October 29, 2017, the board said, adding that it could send in more funds should the available money falls short in rescuing the stranded Nepalis. 

Many of the stranded Nepali migrants also do not have valid residence permit, which means they will have to pay penalty for overstaying before returning home. 

The embassy has decided to repatriate Nepali citizens phase-wise, starting with those holding valid residence permit, followed by those who would have to pay less amount of fines and those with health complications. 

The embassy has also been coordinating with the company and the recruiting agencies for the purpose. 

The majority of the workers in the company were supplied by SOS Manpower Private Limited.

Other recruiting agencies  that had sent the workers to Kuwait are Lotus Human Resource Pvt Ltd, Gulf Manpower Services Pvt Ltd, PAS International Pvt Ltd and Al-Karim.