Lok Sabha Question No. 3590 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-08-08
Subject: Human Trafficking to China and Gulf Countries
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: MIDHUN REDDY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3590

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 8 th  AUGUST, 2017/ SHRAVANA 17, 1939 (SAKA)

HUMAN TRAFFICKING TO CHINA AND GULF COUNTRIES

3590.

SHRI P.V. MIDHUN REDDY:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  human  trafficking  to  China  and  Gulf  countries  without  valid visas is on the rise;

(b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the steps, the Government proposes to take to prevent this menace?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI HANSRAJ GANGARAM AHIR)

(a) & (b): As  per  information  received  from  the  Ministry  of  External Affairs, some cases where unscrupulous agents had brought Indian workers to Iraq without valid visa were reported.   Details of the cases are at Annex-I. In so far as China is concerned, it has been reported that some Indians  in China  were  brought  with  the  promise  of  good  salary/jobs.  They  were reportedly  duped  and  abandoned  by  the  travel  agencies.  The  Mission  in China arranged for their return to India. Details of these Cases are at AnnexII.

- (c) Visual and print media campaigns are launched by MEA from time to time  for  promoting  legal  and  safe  migration  and  encouraging  emigrants  to use the services of registered Recruiting Agents to avoid being trapped by illegal/fake  agents.  The  Ministry  of  External  Affairs  had  also  issued  a Standard Operating Procedure in May 2016 to be followed by the States on receipt of complaints regarding cheating by illegal agents on the pretext of providing overseas jobs.

## LS.US.Q.No.3590 FOR 08.08.2017

To  address  the  general  issue  of  Human  Trafficking,  the  Ministry  of  Home Affairs issues advisories to all States and UTs from time to time providing guidance to check the menace of Human Trafficking, both inter-State and trans-national. The Government of India has provided financial assistance to the  States  for  setting  up  Anti-Human  Trafficking  Units  at  District  level. Training  is  also  provided  to  State  Police  personnel  in  prevention  and investigation of the crime of trafficking.  The Government of India has also signed bilateral Memorandums of Understanding with UAE and Bangladesh on prevention of Human Trafficking.

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## Details of cases Iraq

- (i) One  Indian  lady  was  duped  by  a  travel  agent  in  India  promising  to provide office job but was forced to work as a maid in different places in Iraq.  The Mission intervened and sent her back to India in March 2016. (ii) In August, 2016, complaints were received from 28 Indian nationals in the Iraq Mission, who were duped by their agents in India and were brought to Basra. The Embassy provided consular/financial assistance for return of all 28 Indian nationals, including eight Indians who had been arrested and sentenced to four-months in jail by Iraqi authorities on charges of entering Iraq on fake visa. (iii)  The Iraq Mission received a complaint from eight Indian nationals in June  2017,  who  were  cheated  by  their  agents  and  brought  to  Basra  on
- forged visas.

Annex-II

Number of Human Trafficking cases reported in China

| S. No.   | Name of the Mission in China dealing with Human Trafficking case   |   No. of cases during the year 2016 |   No. of cases during the year 2017 |
|----------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
| 1        | Beijing                                                            |                                  23 |                                  32 |
| 2        | Shanghai                                                           |                                   0 |                                   0 |
| 3        | Guangzhou                                                          |                                   0 |                                   1 |
| 4        | Hong Kong                                                          |                                   0 |                                   0 |
| Total    |                                                                    |                                  23 |                                  33 |