Lok Sabha Question No. 1805 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-03
Subject: Grievances of Women Abandoned by NRI Husbands
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Manoj Rajoria

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1805 TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.07.2019

## 'GRIEVANCES OF WOMEN ABANDONED BY NRI HUSBANDS'

## 1805.DR. MANOJ RAJORIA:

## Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether   the   Government   is   aware   of   the   grievances/   plight   of abandoned wives of NRI men;
- (b) if so, the reaction of the Government thereto along with the details of steps taken/ proposed to be taken by the Government to address the issue; and
- (c) the existing mechanisms for the redressal of the grievances of the women abandoned by their NRI husbands abroad?

ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## [SHRI V. MURALEEDHARAN]

(a) to (c) This Ministry has been receiving petitions from Indian women deserted or harassed by their NRI spouses.     Between January, 2016 and 31st May, 2019 this Ministry (including the Indian   Missions   abroad)   has   addressed   4698     complaints   of distressed Indian women deserted by their NRI spouses   Most complaints received from them pertain to:

- (i) Harassment   and   ill   treatment   by   the   husband   and   his family;
- (ii) Loss   of   communication   with   the   spouse   after   he   goes abroad;
- (iii) Request   for   assistance   in   serving   judicial   summons   for court proceedings in India;
- (iv) Assistance   in   obtaining   maintenance   and   child   support from the spouse;
- (v) Request for impounding or revoking passport of overseas Indian spouse;
- (vi)   Request for extradition, deportation of spouse to India; and
- (vii)  Child custody issues.

This   Ministry   (including   the   Indian   Missions   abroad)   has addressed these complaints of distressed Indian women deserted by   their   NRI   spouses   by   way   of   providing   them   counseling, 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. Besides, with an aim to provide online consular assistance expeditiously to Indian nationals who are in distress abroad (including marital

dispute), MADAD portal - an online Consular Grievance Monitoring System- was launched in 2015 and a module 'Marital Disputes' was   added   to   the   portal   to   provide   digital   platform   to   the distressed Indian nationals married to NRIs. In   addition,   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. Further, an Expert Committee was set up to identify legal and regulatory challenges faced by Indian nationals married to overseas Indian nationals and to suggest amendments in existing Acts/legislations   or   new   policies   /   laws   /   regulations.   Upon recommendation of the Expert Committee, an Integrated Nodal Agency was constituted. The   INA   is   headed   by   Secretary,   Women   &   Child Development.   The   other   members   of   the   INA   are   a)   Joint Secretary (Judicial)   &   Joint   Secretary   (Foreigners),   Ministry   of Home Affairs,   b)   Joint   Secretary   (OIA-II),   Ministry   of   External Affairs, and c) Joint Secretary (Legal), Ministry of Law & Justice. The INA is functioning as an effective body and providing a single window timely solution to the problems of Indian women married to   overseas   Indian   spouses.   So   far,   the   INA   has   had   fifteen sittings and has issued eight Look Out Circulars against the erring spouses. Despite the measures taken by the Government of India to ameliorate the problems faced by Indian citizens married to NRI spouses, it was felt that these measures are not sufficient and the existing laws need to be amended to provide a more effective solution to the problem. Therefore, a bill titled 'The Registration of Marriage of Non-Resident Indian Bill, 2019' was introduced in Rajya Sabha on February 11, 2019.

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