Lok Sabha Question No. 2025 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-02
Subject: Welfare of Migrant Workers
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Daggumalla Prasada Rao

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-2025

ANSWERED ON- 02/08/2024

## WELFARE OF MIGRANT WORKERS

## 2025. SHRI DAGGUMALLA PRASADA RAO

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

(a)   the   total   number   of   labourers   from   India   engaged   in construction/labour intensive works in foreign countries during the last five years, country-wise, especially in USA, European countries and the Gulf region;

- (b) the total number of such labourers from Andhra Pradesh, districtwise;
- (c) whether the Government has any scheme/project/initiative for the welfare of such labourers and to assist them with their well-being in these foreign countries;
- (d) if so, the details regarding the same including funding allocated and utilised over the last five years for such scheme/project/initiatives and total number of beneficiaries; and

(e)   whether   the   Government   has   considered   setting   up   any authority/helpline to assist Indian labourers in foreign countries , if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a) As per available data, there are around 15 million Indian nationals abroad including unskilled workers, skilled workers and professionals. This Ministry maintains the data in respect of Indian workers, holding Emigration Check Required (ECR) passports, proceeding for overseas employment through e-Migrate portal to any of the 18 ECR countries. Country wise details of the Emigration Clearances issued to Indian workers who migrated for overseas employment to 18 ECR countries during last five years through eMigrate portal are enclosed as Annexure A. Those who did not obtain Emigration Clearances are, however, not reflected in the database.

(b) District wise details of workers (including labourers) from Andhra Pradesh who migrated for overseas employment to 18 ECR countries including the Middle Eastern countries during last five years through eMigrate portal are enclosed as Annexure B.

(c & d) The Government accords highest priority to the safety, security and   well-being   of   Indian   nationals   abroad   and   has   taken   several

initiatives   such   as   Pravasi   Bhartiya   Bima   Yojna   (PBBY)   and   PreDeparture Orientation & Training (PDOT) in ensuring that Indian migrant workers (including labourers) undertake safe migration, have decent working and living conditions in destination countries, are aware of their   rights   and   have   access   to   various   welfare   schemes   of   the Government. The Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana (PBBY) is a mandatory insurance scheme aimed at safeguarding the interests of ECR category Indian migrant workers going for employment to 18 ECR countries. The scheme provides an insurance cover of INR. 10 lakh and other benefits in case of accidental death or permanent disability leading to job loss, at a nominal insurance premium of INR 275/- for two years or INR 375/for three years validity.  PDOT is a one-day training programme on soft skills imparted by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in collaboration with National Skill Development   Corporation (NSDC), State Governments and other stake holders.

Our Mission/Posts abroad also utilize the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) to provide necessary assistance, including legal, on means tested basis to Indian citizens abroad and their dependents in times of distress including in the process of transportation of mortal remains to India or local cremation with the consent of the family and settlement of death claims. Since year 2014 until March 2024, around Rs.656/crores has been utilized by Indian Missions/Posts abroad under the

Fund   and   around   3,50,194   Indians   were   extended   assistance. (e) The Process of emigration of Indian workers (including labourers) having Emigration Clearance Required (ECR) category passports, is regulated under the Emigration Act, 1983, which is administered by the Ministry of External Affairs(MEA) through Overseas Employment (OE) and Protector General of Emigrants (PGE) Division.  The Government has established various mechanisms to enable Indian workers abroad to   reach   out   in   case   they   need   any   assistance.   The   workers   can contact   the   Missions/Posts   through   various   channels   like   walk-in, email,   multilingual   24x7   emergency   numbers,   grievance   redressal portal like MADAD, CPGRAMS, and eMigrate, and social media etc. Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendras (PBSK) have been set up in New Delhi and at Dubai (UAE), Riyadh & Jeddah (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) and  Kuala   Lumpur   (Malaysia)   to   provide   assistance,   guidance   and counselling to Indian workers in distress.

Indian   Missions/Posts   abroad   have   also   established   24X7   Helplines including Toll Free Helplines, whatsapp numbers and have launched mobile   Apps   to   enable   Indian   nationals   contact   respective   Indian Missions/Posts when in distress or in emergency situation.

Missions/Posts  in   Gulf   Countries   also   have   dedicated   labour   wings which ensure prompt redressal of labour grievances. Shelter homes for distressed   Indian   nationals   have   been   set   up   in   countries   having

sizeable presence of Indians such as Bahrain, Kuwait, Malaysia, Qatar,

Saudi Arabia and UAE. These shelter homes provide free boarding and lodging to Indian nationals in distress pending their repatriation back to India. On  receiving   complaint   from   migrant   workers   against   the   Foreign Employers(FE), the concerned Indian Mission/Post takes up the matter with the employer/local authorities. On finding any FE at fault, they are placed under Prior Approval Category (PAC) and further employment of Indian workers through that particular FE is allowed only after due consultation with the concerned Indian Mission/Post. Issues relating to FEs are also raised in the periodic meetings of the Joint Working Group held under the aegis of Memorandum of Understandings signed with various countries. Indian Missions/Posts also regularly organize Open House and Consular camps in remote areas to interact and get feedback from the Indian workers abroad and address their grievances. *****

5

ANNEXURE - A Country-wise data of Emigration Clearances granted through e-Migrate

portal to the Indian migrant workers during last 5 years:

| Country     | 2019     | 2020   | 2021     | 2022     | 2023     | 2024 Till (25.07.2024)   |
|-------------|----------|--------|----------|----------|----------|--------------------------|
| KSA         | 161103   | 44316  | 32845    | 178630   | 200713   | 92947                    |
| UAE         | 76112    | 17891  | 10844    | 33233    | 71688    | 50568                    |
| Kuwait      | 45712    | 8107   | 10158    | 71432    | 48212    | 20964                    |
| Qatar       | 31811    | 8907   | 49579    | 30871    | 30683    | 12178                    |
| Oman        | 28392    | 7206   | 19453    | 31994    | 21336    | 14167                    |
| Malaysia    | 10633    | 2435   | 36       | 12836    | 15319    | 4839                     |
| Bahrain     | 9997     | 4175   | 6383     | 10232    | 7376     | 5348                     |
| Jordan      | 0        | 317    | 2386     | 2487     | 1187     | 1841                     |
| Iraq        | 162      | 759    | 935      | 1430     | 1599     | 1343                     |
| Lebanon     | 160      | 21     | 54       | 282      | 200      | 107                      |
| Thailand    | 24       | 10     | 1        | 3        | 4        | 10                       |
| Indonesia   | 0        | 1      | 0        | 3        | 0        | 2                        |
| South Sudan | 0        | 0      | 1        | 1        | 0        | 0                        |
| Afghanistan | 2        | 0      | 0        | 0        | 0        | 0                        |
| Sudan       | 0        | 0      | 0        | 1        | 0        | 2                        |
| Syria       | 0        | 0      | 0        | 0        | 0        | 0                        |
| Yemen       | 0        | 0      | 0        | 0        | 0        | 0                        |
| Libya       | 0        | 0      | 0        | 0        | 0        | 0                        |
| Total       | 3,68,049 | 94,145 | 1,32,675 | 3,73,425 | 3,98,317 | 2,04,316                 |

## ANNEXURE - B

District-wise data of Emigration Clearances granted through e-Migrate portal to the workers from Andhra Pradesh who migrated for overseas employment to 18 ECR countries including the Middle Eastern countries during the last 5 years:

| District                    | 2019   | 2020   | 2021   | 2022   | 2023   | 2024 (till 25th July 2024)   |
|-----------------------------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|------------------------------|
| ANANTAPUR                   | 322    | 52     | 80     | 329    | 493    | 372                          |
| CHITTOOR                    | 1277   | 242    | 340    | 1467   | 1063   | 527                          |
| EAST GODAVARI               | 1466   | 287    | 481    | 1656   | 1373   | 768                          |
| GUNTUR                      | 116    | 27     | 18     | 109    | 123    | 47                           |
| KRISHNA                     | 215    | 38     | 44     | 165    | 166    | 109                          |
| KURNOOL                     | 332    | 77     | 71     | 235    | 300    | 220                          |
| NELLORE                     | 406    | 48     | 4      | 0      | 0      | 79                           |
| NIZAMABAD                   | 887    | 166    | 21     | 0      | 0      | 0                            |
| SRI POTTI SRIRAMULU NELLORE | 224    | 73     | 135    | 651    | 524    | 166                          |
| SRIKAKULAM                  | 1344   | 356    | 864    | 861    | 1129   | 552                          |
| VISHAKHAPATNAM              | 1425   | 636    | 885    | 2424   | 1960   | 909                          |
| VIZIANAGARAM                | 91     | 48     | 40     | 105    | 169    | 53                           |
| WEST GODAVARI               | 2877   | 539    | 838    | 2780   | 2363   | 1508                         |
| YSR DISTRICT                | 6783   | 1256   | 1605   | 8351   | 6630   | 3318                         |
| PRAKASAM                    | 120    | 16     | 16     | 98     | 94     | 43                           |
|                             | 17,885 | 3,861  | 5,442  | 19,231 | 16,387 | 8,671                        |

*****