Lok Sabha Question No. 29 (STARRED), answered on 2015-07-22
Subject: Rehabilitation of Pravasis
Ministry: OVERSEAS INDIAN AFFAIRS
Asked by: FAIZAL P.P. MOHAMMED, BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO

**ANSWER**

**MINISTER OF OVERSEAS INDIAN AFFAIRS**

**SMT.SUSHMA SWARAJ**

1. to (c): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

Statement as referred to in reply to the Lok Sabha Starred Question No. *29 (Position No. 9) regarding “Rehabilitation of Pravasis”

(a): The details of pravasis who have returned from various countries on account of internal strife or unfavourable labour conditions or other reasons during the last three years, as reported by the Indian Missions and Posts abroad are at Annexure I.

(b): On 6 th April, 2013 the Saudi Government announced a 3-month grace period for those affected by the Nitaqat programme to correct their residential status in Saudi Arabia, which was subsequently extended till 03 November 2013. More than 1.4 million Indians availed of the concessions. According to figures released by Saudi authorities, over 1,40,000 Indian workers did not avail of the concessions and they left for India, during 6 th April 2013 to 27 th November 2013 without facing any penal action or ban on their return. There have been no reports of large scale arrest of Indian workers after the grace period, although there may be a few cases of Indians from the very large Indian community (over 2.75 million), who have been deported from Saudi Arabia. No official figures in this regard are available.

(c): As per information received from Indian Missions, the number of Indians evacuated in the recent past includes Yemen -4882, Iraq-7152 and Libya- 3617 (2014,2015). Assistance for evacuation was also provided from Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs’ Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF). State-wise list of returnees is not maintained.

*****

Annexure-I

| **Annexure referred to in part (a) of the reply of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. *29 for 22.07.2015 regarding “Rehabilitation of Pravasis”**   |                   |      |      |                 |      |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------|------|------|-----------------|------|
| Sl. No.                                                                                                                                         | Name of Country   | 2012 | 2013 | 2014            | 2015 |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Afghanistan       | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Albania           | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Albania           | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Algeria           | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Angola            | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Armenia           | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Australia         | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Azerbaijan        | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Bahamas           | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Bahrain           | -    | -    | 235 (2012-2014) | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Bali              | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Bangladesh        | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Barbados          | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Belarus           | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Belgium           | -    | --   |                 | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Benin             | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Bhutan            | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Bolivia           | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Bolivia           | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Botswana          | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Brazil            | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Brunei Darussalam | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Bulgaria          | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Burundi           | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Cambodia          | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Cameroon          | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Canada            | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Cayman Islands    | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Chad              | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Chili             | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | China             | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Colombia          | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Comoros           | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Congo             | -    | -    | 80              | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Cook Islands      | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Costa Rica        | -    | -    | -               | -    |
|                                                                                                                                                 | Croatia           | -    | -    | -               | -    |

Contd/….2

-2-

| Sl. No.   | Name of Country   | 2012   | 2013   | 2014          | 2015              |
|-----------|-------------------|--------|--------|---------------|-------------------|
|           | Cuba              | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Denmark           | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Djibouti          | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Doha, Qatar       | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Estonia           | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Ethiopia          | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Fiji              | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Finland           | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | France            | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Georgia           | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Germany           | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Greece            | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Guinea (Rep. of)  | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Guinea Bissau     | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Iceland           | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Indonesia         | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Iran              | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Iraq              | -      | -      | 7062 (Approx) | 196               |
|           | Ireland           | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Israel            | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Italy             | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Jamaica           | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Japan             | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Jordan            | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Jordan            | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Kazakhstan        | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Kenya             | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Kenya             | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Kiribati          | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Kuwait            | 1303   | 2636   | 2791          | 1664  (till June) |
|           | Kyrgyzstan        | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Laos              | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Lebanon           | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Liberia           | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Libya             | 72     | 60     | 3371          | 246               |
|           | Lithuania         | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | London            | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Luxembourg        | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Macedonia         | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Madagascar        | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Malaysia          | -      | -      | -             | -                 |
|           | Maldives          | -      | -      | -             | -                 |

Contd/…2

-3-

| Sl. No.   | Name of Country    | 2012                                          | 2013                                                               | 2014                                          | 2015                                          |
|-----------|--------------------|-----------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|
|           | Mauritius          | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Mexico             | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Moldova            | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Moldova            | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Mongolia           | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Morocco            | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Mozambique         | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Myanmar            | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Namibia            | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Nauru              | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Nepal              | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Netherlands        | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Nicaragua          | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Nigeria            | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | North Korea        | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Norway             | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Oman               | 892                                           | 895                                                                | 853                                           | -                                             |
|           | Pakistan           | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Palestine (PLO)    | -                                             | -                                                                  | 04                                            | -                                             |
|           | Panama             | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           |                    | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Peru               | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Philippines        | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Poland             | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Romania            | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Russian Federation | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Rwanda             | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Saudi Arabia       | 4538  (Emergency Certificates  issued by EOI) | 1,40,000  (as per figures from  Saudi authorities received at EOI) | 4185  (Emergency Certificates  issued by EOI) | 2921  (Emergency Certificates  issued by EOI) |
|           | Scotland           | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Senegal            | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Serbia             | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Seychelles         | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Slovakia           | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | South Africa       | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | South Korea        | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |
|           | Spain              | -                                             | -                                                                  | -                                             | -                                             |

Contd/…4

-4-

| Sl. No.   | Name of Country         | 2012                      | 2013       | 2014      | 2015            |
|-----------|-------------------------|---------------------------|------------|-----------|-----------------|
|           | Sri Lanka               | -                         | -          | 48        | 112 (till date) |
|           | St. Lucia               | -                         | -          | -         | -               |
|           | St. Vincent  Grenadines | -                         | -          | -         | -               |
|           | Sudan                   | -                         | -          | -         | 15              |
|           | Suriname                | -                         | -          | -         | -               |
|           | Swaziland               | -                         | -          | -         | -               |
|           | Syria                   | 1000  (including in 2011) | -          | -         | -               |
|           | Tajikistan              | -                         | -          | -         | -               |
|           | Tanzania                | -                         | -          | -         | -               |
|           | Thailand                | -                         | -          | -         | -               |
|           | The Gambia              | -                         | -          | -         | -               |
|           | Tonga                   | -                         | -          | -         | -               |
|           | Trinidad & Tobago       | -                         | -          | -         | -               |
|           | Tunisia                 | -                         | -          | -         | -               |
|           | Turkey                  | -                         | -          | -         | -               |
|           | Turks & Caicos Islands  | -                         | -          | -         | -               |
|           | Tuvalu                  | -                         | -          | -         | -               |
|           | Tuvalu                  | -                         | -          | -         | -               |
|           | Uganda                  | -                         | -          | -         | -               |
|           |                         | -                         | -          | -         | -               |
|           |                         | -                         | -          | -         | -               |
|           | Uzbekistan              | -                         | -          | 200       | -               |
|           |                         | -                         | -          | -         | -               |
|           | Venezuelan              | -                         | -          | -         | -               |
|           | Vietnam                 | -                         | -          | -         | -               |
|           |                         | -                         | -          | -         | 4882            |
|           |                         | -                         | -          | -         | -               |
|           |                         | -                         | -          | -         | -               |
|           | **Total**               | **7805**                  | **143591** | **18829** | **10036**       |