The contribution made for community by working with main American stream.
( In the above photograph Richard Hobbs, Director,'Citizenship and Immigrant Program,Santa Calra County)
---------------------------
By Bharat Desai
===============
The 1998 figures shows that there are immigrants from 180 countries settled down in the Santa Clara County. One third of the Engineers and Scientists working in the county were born in the foreign countries. The 10 largest high tech firms were cofounded by immigrants. Besides that they earned the revenue of $20 billions.
In the above context the commission was appointed in order to find their needs and solve their problems thereon.
I actively worked on the 'Global Context Group' of the Commission and also made several suggessions thereon relating to Indian American Community. I give here below some of them.
To Richard Hobbs(Project Director)
========================
Dear Richard,
I am forwarding here below imputes on the above subject as desired by you. I will be happy if it can be help to you. However I will appreciate your response in the matter.
With regards,
BHARAT DESAI
AN ACTION PLAN FOR IMMIGRANT NEEDS AND CONTRIBUTIONS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TEN KEY RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMPUTE THEREOF
-------------------------------------------------------------------
1) A-The statistics by country of origin may be maintained with the classifications like profession/educational qualification/income etc and those statistics may be reviewed periodically by concerned agencies in order to assess the progress made thereof.
B-The governmental and other important forms may be printed in the prominent Multilanguage like Hindi, Chinese, Spanish, Korean, and Vietnamese whereby people 'With limited English proficiency' can actively participate in development and welfare activities.
C-In order increase the cultural knowledge about the various immigrant community the step may be taken to recruit qualified people from those community in the government agencies which are directly dealing with public and their welfare activities. It will help to get better results and progress thereof.
2) The translation and interpretation may be provided in the major languages of immigrants (i.e. Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Hindi, etc). This will increase the involvement of all most all immigrants in respect of Health care, Court transactions, Mental health and Welfare activities.
3) There should be vigorous action plan for educating some of the immigrant communities which are not aware or lacking knowledge regarding the various welfare schemes. (I.e. In respect of Health Care/ Child Care/Senior's Benefits/ and provision against Child and Wife abuses.)
4) The comprehensive resettlement and resources guide may be compiled in order to help immigrants. However it may be published in all major languages of immigrants so that even people not knowing English may be able to take the advantage of its and consequently their adjustment with local environment and integration in American main stream will be easier and expedited.
5) The most of the immigrants bring with them treasure of experiences, or skill or knowledge. In order to utilize the same in best interest of our country we must have agency with proper infrastructure that can help to absorb them in a right field. In absence of such guidance and help most of them are doing wrong or odd jobs. Taking corrective action as suggested above can save such waste of national energy.
6) A- There may be certain provisions in law, which may be hurting immigrants adversely. As for example the immigrants under H-1B Visa are suppose to pay social security tax. However one can earn the social security if one earn minimum forty units or one serve for atleast ten years. While under the provision of law H-1B Visa holder has to leave USA at the end of six year. Hence there appears to be contradiction in the law. In short the law may be amended in order to remove the contradictions and to give relief to the immigrants.
B-There is certain immigrant communities like Indian, which has strong family system. Son is looking after the dependent parents. Besides that certain reputed Indian companies are reimbursing the medical /Leave fare expenses of their dependent parents. While in American system there are no such provisions. This is creating lot of difficulty for old parents of Indian immigrants. Therefore special affordable medical group insurance may be created for immigrants parents.
7) No input.
8) Free legal aid may be also provided to the immigrants with law income and who are living on poverty line.
9) It is necessary to support and finance all those agencies, which provides services and assistance to immigrant communities.
10) The special agency may be formed with the aim to raise money for funding the immigrant's programs. The fund can be raised through leaders in trade, industry, and business.
Note: -The comments made under serial no relates to the respective serial no of each recommendations.
-----------------***************------------
Besides that I also made suggessions regarding the low payment of wages to the immigrants as under
To Richard Hobbs(Project Director)
-----------------------------------------
Dear Richard,
Your paper on ' Wage and working Condition ' is very informative and in that context I have to request you to consider below given impute favorably if it is not covered in the final report. I am sending you the impute in advance so that you can have required time to cover it suitably. I hope it will be a use to you.
With regards,
Bharat Desai
WAGE AND WORKING CONDITION/ IMPUTE THEREOF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
'The 40% jobs in Silicon Valley are contingent labor, which includes temporary, part time and contracted workers. The majority is from immigrant's population. Even temporary job volume is also increasing with tremendous speed. Besides that increase of high level of profitability of companies may have direct result of increase of such labor. This sector of wage earners is unable to meet the inflammatory trends in the valley. Therefore some protective measures like uniform living wages policy has to be formulated for entire areas of Silicon Valley which can protect such unorganized weaker section.'
-------------------------
The above comments/Suggessions were included on the page no 138 of the final report of 6th December 2000 under "Bridging Borders in Silicon Valley"
The implementation of the above report has already started under "Immigrant Action Network"
However I have satisfaction that thereafter some of the measures taken by Santa Clara County reflects the recommendations of the commission. (I. e. Free Health Care for children, publishing welfare brochures in various languages etc.)
Therefore one may do something for the community according to its own way. It is better to make some efforts by each one then doing nothing.
--------------