THE Government
of India has taken several initiatives to protect the interest and welfare
of overseas Indian workers. India has signed Labour agreements with Jordan
and Qatar and bilateral Memoranda of understanding (MoU) with the major
worker receiving Countries for ensuring protection and welfare of Indian
emigrants. MoUs were signed with United Arab of Emigrates, Kuwait, Oman,
Malaysia and Bahrain.
The Government has also taken measures for protecting the safety and welfare
of women workers of the Emigration Check Required (ECR) category to emigrate
to 17 notified countries such as restriction of 30 years for women emigrating
on ECR passports to ECR countries, minimum referral wage for emigrants being
fixed by Mission, security deposit of 2500 dollars to be paid by foreign employer,
compulsory pre-attestation of employment documents by the Indian Mission concerned
for all women emigrants, pre-paid mobile phone facility for housemaids to be
provided by foreign employer and operating shelters for distressed emigrants
by Indian Missions.
Moreover, a 24x7 toll-free helpline that is Overseas Workers Resource Centre
(OWRC) has been set up in Delhi to enable emigrants and prospective emigrants
to seek information and file complaints against recruiting agents and foreign
employers. Migration Resource Centers (MRCs) have been set up at Cochin, Hyderabad
and Panchkula in (Haryana). A Nation-wide Awareness-cum-Publicity Campaign
through Media has been taken up to educate potential emigrants including benefits
or hazards of legal and illegal migration . Indian Community Welfare Fund(ICWF)
has been established in all the Indian Missions for on-site welfare of emigrants.
Around 28,000 emigrants have benefitted from the Scheme during the last three
years and Rs.37 crores has been utilized for the purpose. For redressal of
grievances at Dubai at the Indian Workers Resource Centre (IWRC) there is a
24x7 toll free multilingual helpline. Apart form this Computerized emigration
clearance system exist in all Protector of Emigration offices.
This information was given by Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs Mr Vayalar
Ravi in Parliament in a written reply yesterday.
|
