New Delhi, Nov 19: A special session to discuss pressing issues confronting NRIs in the Gulf will be held during the second Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in January. There are more than three million Indians, mostly blue- collar workers, based in the Gulf region and the majority of them are overseas contract employees sans any job security.

Officials said an insurance scheme and a welfare fund for undergraduate Indian workers going abroad would soon become operational. Prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had announced these schemes during the first Pravasi Divas which will bring relief to Gulf NRIs.

The high-level committee on Indian diaspora chaired by L M Singhvi was of the view that the Indian population in the Gulf was an important contributor to India's economy. The conditions of employment and emoluments of the workers in the Gulf and establishment of Indian schools in the Gulf countries to give quality education were distinctive areas of concern of Indians in the Gulf region.

J C Sharma, Secretary in the External Affairs Ministry, said the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas provided an invaluable forum to get useful inputs on a number of issues affecting the NRIs.

The PBD is being jointly organized by the External Affairs Ministry and FIIC from January nine to 11, 2004. The three-day event will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister. It will also be addressed by leader of opposition Sonia Gandhi. Bureau Report