Thousands of U.P. labourers find relief as travel plans are delayed
LUCKNOW : Lal Singh, a 27-yearold native of Barabanki, counts himself lucky that his plans to travel to Israel for employment were halted, as Air India on Sunday announced a temporary suspension of flights to Tel Aviv amidst escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. Singh is one of the 9,134 labourers from Uttar Pradesh who had chosen to work in Israel amidst the ongoing aggression on Gaza.
These 9,134 labourers had passed the skill test at ITI Aliganj in January, making them eligible to work in the construction field in Israel following the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two countries. Last year, Israel and India signed an agreement facilitating the employment of 42,000 Indian workers in various construction fields.
Like Lal Singh, thousands of youths from Uttar Pradesh are now relieved and content to be staying home with their families. “This Navratri, we feel blessed to be in India rather than in a conflict zone,” expressed youths who were unable to travel to Israel on April 15 due to the temporary suspension of flight services by Air India.
“My flight was scheduled for April 15. A day prior, I received a notification from the skill development council stating that, as per the Ministry of External Affairs’ instructions, all travel to Israel has been prohibited. The message indicated that further information would be provided, and I was advised to await updates,” shared Lal Singh, who was eagerly anticipating a job where he could earn Rs 1.37 lakh per month as a labourer in the construction industry.
“I consider myself fortunate to be staying put for the time being. Given the conflict between Iran and Israel, it’s prudent to remain at home until normalcy is restored. I have already paid Rs 66,800 to NSDC for my airfare, working visa fees, and other expenses,” he added.
Lal Singh had previously worked in Dubai from 2017 to 2019, returning to India just before the onset of Covid-19. Since then, he has been residing in his hometown of Barabanki, eagerly awaiting his opportunity to work in Israel.
Another worker, Mohit Singh, 26, from Barabanki, expressed gratitude that flight services had been temporarily suspended. “Safety is paramount; everything else can wait. We’ll have to wait here in India until flights resume. My family is relieved that they don’t have to worry about my safety,” he remarked. Mohit was selected for construction work with a monthly package of Rs 1.37 lakh.
Similarly, Rajeshwar Singh, 32, voiced his satisfaction with the temporary suspension of flight services amid tensions between Iran and Israel. “My family is delighted that I’m able to stay home with them,” he stated.
These selected youths are eagerly awaiting the resumption of flight services by the Indian government, enabling them to travel to Israel and commence their employment to support their livelihoods.
Principal of ITI Aliganj, Raj Kumar Yadav, disclosed that out of 14,172 candidates who participated in the skill test held in January, 9,134 were shortlisted. Kunal Silku, ITI director, commented, “Our responsibility was to shortlist candidates. Now, it is up to the National Skill Development Council (NSDC) to make arrangements for their smooth transportation.” Ajay Raina, operating officer at NSDC, mentioned, “We are not authorized to disclose any information to the press; the Ministry of External Affairs is managing the transportation of labourers to Israel.”