Lok Sabha Question No. 2955 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-08-02
Subject: Duping by Recruitment Agencies
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: PANKAJ CHOWDHARY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2955 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.08.2017

## DUPING BY RECRUITMENT AGENCIES

## † 2955. SHRI PANKAJ CHAUDHARY:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether cases of duping of workers who were willing to work abroad by  the  recruitment  agencies  have  come  to  the  notice  of  the Government;
- (b) if  so,  the  number of such cases surfaced during the last two years and the current year;
- (c) whether the Government is aware of such Indian workers who have been sent abroad illegally and they are undergoing the imprisonment there;
- (d)
- if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether the Government proposes to make provisions for the fake recruitment agencies/agents functioning in India and sending labourers overseas for employment  with  an  intention of their monitoring  while  taking  action  against  them  for  their  wrong  doing and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS [GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

- (a) & (b) It  has  been  reported  by  the  Indian  Missions  that  they  do receive  complaints  from  Indian  migrant  workers  regarding  violations  of contractual  terms,  adverse  working  conditions,  medical  and  insurance related problems  and  non-payment/ less  payment/ delayed  payment/ withholding of salaries etc. The Missions, on receipt of such complaints, take up the matter with the concerned sponsor/ Employers as well as with the local authorities for redressal of these grievances. If the emigrant is recruited  through  a  registered  Recruiting  Agent,  Show-cause  notice  is served  on  registered  Recruiting  Agents  against  whom  complaints  are received  and  the Recruiting Agent  is directed to settle/resolve the complaint.  The  year-wise  details  of  such  show-cause  notices  issued  to registered Recruiting Agents under the provisions of the Emigration Act, 1983 is as under:
- (c) & (d) Data  relating  to  Indian  workers,  who  have  been  sent  abroad illegally  is  not  available  with  the  Government  because  they  bypass  the system  established  by  the  Government.  Therefore,  information  of  such Indian workers undergoing imprisonment is also not available.  Only data relating to Indian emigrants, holding Emigration Clearance Required (ECR) category Passport and legally proceeding to 18 notified ECR countries for overseas employment, is maintained in e-Migrate system.
- (e) The  Government  has  been  receiving  complaints/grievances  from emigrants and their  family members/relatives from time  to  time  of  being cheated by illegal agents on the pretext of providing overseas jobs. Such complaints  are  forwarded  to  concerned  State  Governments  and  Police authorities urging them to apprehend illegal agents and prosecute them on the basis of complaints.

| Year                    |   No. of Show-cause Notices issued |
|-------------------------|------------------------------------|
| 2015                    |                                 61 |
| 2016                    |                                174 |
| 2017 (up to 30.06.2017) |                                100 |

As  per  the  available  records,  the  number  of  complaints  against unregistered/illegal agents received and referred to the State Governments during last three years from 2014 onwards is as under:

| Year                  |   No. of Complaints received |   Cases referred to State Governments for action |   Prosecution Sanction sought |   Prosecution Sanction given |
|-----------------------|------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|------------------------------|
| 2014                  |                          170 |                                              153 |                            08 |                           08 |
| 2015                  |                          195 |                                              101 |                            11 |                           11 |
| 2016                  |                          231 |                                              231 |                            42 |                           42 |
| 2017 (upto 30.6.2017) |                          220 |                                              220 |                            15 |                           15 |

Government has also issued a Standard Operating Procedure on 26th May, 2016, to be followed by States on receipt of such complaints against illegal agents. The Ministry of External Affairs has launched a mass media awareness campaign for Safe and Legal emigration for overseas employment.  The State Governments have also been requested to launch periodic  visual  and  print  media  campaign  creating  awareness  among people to use the services of only Registered Recruiting Agencies, and not to go through illegal agents for overseas jobs.

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