Lok Sabha Question No. 4259 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-21
Subject: Complaints from NRI Brides
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: ASADUDDIN OWAISI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4259

TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.03.2018

## COMPLAINTS FROM NRI BRIDES

4259. SHRI ASADUDDIN OWAISI:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has started   grievance redressal portal 'MADAD' to help women married to NRIs who needs help; and
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the further efforts being made by the Government to help these women?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) In   pursuance   of   "good   governance'   initiatives,   the   Ministry   of External Affairs has launched an online Consular Grievances Monitoring System,   named   MADAD,   in   February   2015,   to   help   Indians   abroad, including women married to NRIs.  A module titled 'Marital Disputes' has been added to it. The distressed Indian woman married to an NRI or any member of her family/friend can register a complaint under this Module. All   Indian   Missions   and   Posts abroad,   the Branch   Secretariats of   the Ministry of External Affairs and States/Union T erritories have been linked to this portal for consular grievance tracking and follow-up.
- (b) The MADAD online portal represents a qualitative improvement over existing procedures for handling of consular grievances, through online forwarding, filing, tracking and escalation until their eventual resolution. It allows direct registration of the grievances by the members of the public and effective tracking of the entire grievance handling process all the way until the redressal of the grievance.

Between   21   February   2015   and   31 st December,   2017,   527 grievances under 'Marital Disputes' module of MADAD portal have been received and addressed.

Further, the Government has taken following steps to address such issues:

- (i) Between   January,   2015   and   December,   2017   this   Ministry (including   the   Indian   Missions   abroad)   has   addressed   3492 complaints   of   distressed   Indian   women   deserted   by   their   NRI spouses   by   way   of   providing   them   counselling,   guidance   and information   about   procedures,   mechanisms   for   serving   judicial summons on the Overseas Indian husband; filing a case in India, issuing Look Out Circulars; impounding and revocation of Indian

passport of the husband; getting access to lawyers and NGOs empanelled   with   Indian   Missions   etc.   and   legal   and   financial assistance under ICWF Scheme.

- (ii) With an aim to provide financial and legal assistance to distressed women married to NRI spouses by all Missions and Posts, the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) Guidelines were revised in September, 2017.  The amount of legal & financial assistance to distressed Indian women has also been increased to US$ 4000 per case.  The assistance is released to the empanelled legal counsel of   the   applicant   or   Indian   Community   Association   /   Women's Organisation/NGO concerned to enable it to take steps to assist the woman in documentation and preparatory work for filing the case.
- (iii) The Government had set up an Expert Committee on NRI Marital disputes, which presented its Report in August, 2017.  Some of its recommendations including constitution  of an  Integrated  Nodal Agency (INA) have been accepted and implemented and some are under further examination. The INA is expected to be an effective mechanism to provide a single  window  timely   solution   to   the problems   of   affected   women   and   there   would   be   a   better monitoring   of   the   welfare   measures   being   undertaken   in   this regard.

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