Cairo: External Affairs Minister SM Krishna on Saturday asked Indian envoys to be more proactive in helping expatriates in distress, and to appoint welfare officers who will be easily accessible to ensure faster help to Indian citizens abroad.
In Egypt for a three-day visit, Krishna asked Indian embassies and consulates to evolve new mechanisms to address grievances in a timely manner, during a meeting with Indian envoys to the Middle Eastern nations.
He said Indian ambassadors have been asked to designate two hours every week to meet Indians who are experiencing distress situations, and called on the ambassadors to interact with such citizens in a faster manner.
Krishna said all embassies shall now have an officer designated as a "welfare officer" who will be accessible to meet Indian nationals at one open day every week.
Complaints lodged by Indian nationals will be responded to quickly and ambassadors, in a new accountability system, will effectively monitor such complaints and responses by officials, he said.
Krishna urged the Indian diplomats to initiate innovative solutions with the sole aim of improving the quality and timely delivery of consular services in all Indian embassies.
During his visit, Krishna also unveiled a portrait of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore at the House of Poetry in the presence of Egyptian minister of culture Shaker Abdel Hameed.
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