Lok Sabha Question No. 990 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-08
Subject: Indian Unskilled Workers in Foreign Countries
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Jayadev Galla

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-990 ANSWERED ON- 08/12/2023

## INDIAN UNSKILLED WORKERS IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES

## 990. SHRI JAYADEV GALLA :

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

(a) the total number of Indians who have gone to foreign countries to work as unskilled workers in the Gulf nations, North America and Europe, during the last three years, year and State-wise including Andhra Pradesh;

(b) the total number of individuals who have been deported back to India during the said period;

(c) the total number of individuals who are being held in prisons, camps/detention centres on charges of illegal entry into foreign countries;

(d) whether the Government has any scheme/initiative in place regarding the welfare and protection   of   Indians   who   migrate   to   foreign   countries   to   work   as   labourers/unskilled workers;

(e) if so, the details thereof along with the number of beneficiaries of such schemes; and

(f) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI V. MURALEEDHARAN)

(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. The State and UT-wise details of the Emigration Clearances granted to Indian workers (including workers from Andhra Pradesh) who migrated for overseas employment   to 18 ECR countries during the last three years are enclosed as Annexure A.

(b & c) Many foreign countries do not provide information on illegal stay in their countries, except when they are under orders of deportation and travel document/nationality verification is required. The procedure followed for deportation of foreign nationals also varies from country to country. Some countries do not arrest the deportee and keep them in detention/deportation centers until deportation. Moreover, the information about arrest/detention and deportation is not shared with Indian Missions/Posts and the deportation is done directly by the host Government if the deportee has valid travel document. Our Missions/Posts are contacted by the host Governments only in such cases where the nationality verification and issuance of Emergency Certificate (EC) to the deportee is required. Since all foreign countries do not share details of all Indian deportees, the exact number of Indians deported from foreign countries is not available with the Ministry of External Affairs.

(d to f) To promote legal migration, Ministry has taken several initiatives such as Pravasi Bhartiya Bima Yojna (PBBY) and Pre-Departure Orientation & Training (PDOT) in ensuring that migrant workers undertake safe migration, have decent working and living conditions in destination countries, are aware of their rights and have access to GoI welfare schemes.

The Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana (PBBY) is a mandatory insurance scheme aimed at safeguarding the interests of ECR category Indian emigrant workers going for employment to 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. The scheme was revised in 2017, to ensure expeditious settlement of claims. 76,20,878 policies have been issued and 2166 claims settled under PBBY till October, 2023.

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. As on 31 st October, 2023, 1,34,227 prospective migrant workers have benefited from the program in physical and online formats.

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 2014 till September, 2023, legal assistance by Indian Missions/Posts abroad was extended to 3321 Indian nationals, Boarding & Lodging assistance was provided to 1,70,402 Indian nationals, Emergency medical care provided to 10,515 distressed Indian nationals, air passage to 37,459 stranded Indians, and 3,461 mortal remains of Indian nationals were airlifted.

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## Annexure A

## EC issued to Indian Workers for 18 ECR Countries (As per data available on e-Migrate Portal)

| State              |   2020 |   2021 |   2022 |   2023 (till Nov) |
|--------------------|--------|--------|--------|-------------------|
| UTTAR PRADESH      |  28911 |  35221 | 123702 |            132056 |
| BIHAR              |  13911 |  24526 |  60945 |             62139 |
| WEST BENGAL        |   7425 |   9917 |  31789 |             29130 |
| RAJASTHAN          |   6126 |  11345 |  28819 |             22914 |
| TAMIL NADU         |   6476 |   8830 |  23556 |             25271 |
| KERALA             |   8487 |  10560 |  16253 |             17157 |
| ANDHRA PRADESH     |   3882 |   5482 |  19347 |             15014 |
| PUNJAB             |   3317 |   5983 |  10654 |             10695 |
| TELANGANA          |   2984 |   4375 |  11990 |              9720 |
| ODISHA             |   2199 |   4179 |   6726 |              6064 |
| MAHARASHTRA        |   2592 |   2828 |   6846 |              6755 |
| KARNATAKA          |   1476 |   2143 |   5700 |              5714 |
| JAMMU& KASHMIR     |   1095 |    992 |   4868 |              4914 |
| JHARKHAND          |    831 |   1481 |   4322 |              3992 |
| GUJARAT            |   1494 |   1583 |   3438 |              3453 |
| UTTARAKHAND        |    821 |    864 |   3627 |              3503 |
| ASSAM              |    566 |    395 |   3594 |              3231 |
| DELHI              |    388 |    508 |   1569 |              1469 |
| HARYANA            |    314 |    459 |   1232 |              1238 |
| MADHYA PRADESH     |    220 |    232 |   1369 |              1240 |
| TRIPURA            |    248 |    145 |   1197 |              1294 |
| GOA                |    105 |    262 |    622 |               402 |
| HIMACHAL PRADESH   |    115 |    145 |    414 |               414 |
| PUDUCHERRY         |     75 |    123 |    318 |               365 |
| CHANDIGARH         |     30 |     45 |    346 |               240 |
| CHHATTISGARH       |     33 |     24 |    126 |               101 |
| DAMAN &DIU         |     11 |      9 |     16 |                23 |
| MANIPUR            |      4 |      9 |     13 |                23 |
| MEGHALAYA          |      3 |      3 |     11 |                11 |
| ANDAMAN& NICOBAR   |      2 |      0 |     11 |                 5 |
| DADRA&NAGAR HAVELI |      2 |      0 |      3 |                 6 |
| NAGALAND           |      1 |      4 |      2 |                 3 |
| SIKKIM             |      1 |      0 |      4 |                 4 |
| ARUNACHAL PRADESH  |      0 |      1 |      3 |                 4 |
| LAKSHADWEEP        |      0 |      0 |      2 |                 3 |
| MIZORAM            |      0 |      0 |      0 |                 2 |
| LADAKH             |      0 |      0 |      0 |                 1 |

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