Lok Sabha Question No. 1765 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-07-27
Subject: ICWF
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE, SANJAY SHAMRAO DHOTRE, BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1765 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.07.2016

## ICWF

1765. SHRI RAHUL SHEWALE: SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE:

SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  there  has  been  an  increase  in  the  number  of  Indians emigrated on working visa during each of the last three years and the current year and if so, the details thereof, country-wise;
- (b) the  details  of  the  funds  spent  out  of  the  Indian  Community  Welfare Fund  (ICWF)  for  carrying  out  welfare  activities  for  overseas  Indian citizens  particularly  for  those  who  were  in  distress  during  the  said period, country-wise; and
- (c) the  other  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure  safe  working environment  and  to  protect  the  rights  of  Indian  workers  in  other countries?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

[GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

- (a) Information  regarding  Indian  workers  holding  ECR  Passports,  going for  overseas  employment  to  18  notified  Emigration  Check  Required  (ECR) countries  (namely  Afghanistan,  Bahrain,  Indonesia,  Iraq,  Jordan,  Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Oman,  Qatar, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Thailand, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen), is  maintained by this Ministry. Details of the number of Indians emigrated on working visa to these countries during each of the last three years and the current year (as on 30.06.2016) is at Annexure-I.
- (b) A statement showing country-wise, in 18 ECR countries, details of the funds spent out of the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) for carrying out welfare activities for overseas Indian citizens is at Annexure-II.
- (c) Whenever the Indian Missions are approached by any Indian national in distress, the same is followed up, at various levels, with the authorities concerned in the Governments of the respective countries.

Government of India has signed MoUs with 6 Gulf countries, namely UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. As per these MoUs, the host country will take measures for protection and welfare of the workers in organized sector. The recruitment and terms of employment will be in conformity with the laws of both the countries.

These MOUs are renewed / signed afresh, from time to time, during which process any modifications are duly considered for inclusion. The Government of India has set up Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF)  in  all  the  Indian  Missions/Consulates  abroad  to  meet  contingency expenditure incurred by them for carrying out various welfare activities for overseas Indian citizens who are in distress. The Ministry has set up a 24X7 Helpline 'Overseas Workers Resource Centre  (OWRC)'  in  Gurgaon,  Haryana  which  provides  information  and guidance on all matters and problems pertaining to overseas employment of Indian nationals.  Indian Workers Resource Centre (IWRC) set up in Dubai by Embassy of India, in UAE, provides guidance and counseling on all matters pertaining  to  overseas  Indian  workers  in  UAE.  Four  new  Indian  Workers Resource  Centres  (IWRCs)  have  been  approved  for  setting  up  in  Riyadh, Jeddah,  Sharjah  and  Kuala  Lumpur.  Shelter  homes  for  distressed  Indian nationals, have been set up in Malaysia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.  These shelter homes provide free boarding and lodging to overseas Indians in distress pending their repatriation. Government  of  India  have  also  started  24x7  Helpline-'Madad'-  for lodging the grievances of the emigrants, which are attended to on priority basis.

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## INDIANS EMIGRATED ON WORKING VISA DURING EACH OF THE LAST THREE YEARS AND THE CURRENT YEAR

| S. No.   | Country      |   2013 |   2014 |   2015 |   2016 (Upto 30-06-2016) |
|----------|--------------|--------|--------|--------|--------------------------|
| 1        | Afghanistan  |    153 |    127 |     70 |                        0 |
| 2        | Bahrain      |  17269 |  14220 |  15610 |                     6670 |
| 3        | Indonesia    |     38 |     29 |      6 |                       01 |
| 4        | Iraq         |   6577 |   3054 |      1 |                        0 |
| 5        | Jordan       |   1462 |   2133 |   2043 |                     1235 |
| 6        | Kuwait       |  70072 |  80419 |  66523 |                    39721 |
| 7        | Lebanon      |    281 |    313 |    341 |                      135 |
| 8        | Libya        |    293 |    122 |      0 |                        0 |
| 9        | Malaysia     |  22388 |  22926 |  20895 |                     5008 |
| 10       | Oman         |  63398 |  51318 |  84981 |                    37643 |
| 11       | Qatar        |  78367 |  75935 |  59269 |                    15870 |
| 12       | Saudi Arabia | 354169 | 329937 | 306054 |                   108859 |
| 13       | Sudan        |    144 |    255 |     28 |                        0 |
| 14       | Syria        |     10 |      0 |      0 |                        0 |
| 15       | Thailand     |     15 |     53 |     10 |                       01 |
| 16       | U. A. E.     | 202016 | 224033 | 225314 |                    80695 |
| 17       | Yemen        |      3 |      4 |      1 |                        0 |
| 18       | South Sudan  |      0 |      0 |      0 |                        0 |
| TOTAL    | TOTAL        | 816655 | 804878 | 781146 |                   295838 |

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ANNEXURE-II

FUNDS SPENT COUNTRY-WISE, IN 18 ECR COUNTRIES, OUT OF THE INDIAN COMMUNITY WELFARE FUND (ICWF) FOR CARRYING OUT WELFARE ACTIVITIES FOR OVERSEAS INDIAN CITIZENS DURING THE LAST THREE YEARS AND THE CURRENT YEAR.

(Amount in Indian Rupees)

|   SN | Country      | 2013        | 2014         | 2015         | 2016 (Upto15-07-2016)   |
|------|--------------|-------------|--------------|--------------|-------------------------|
|    1 | Afghanistan  | 1,45,759    | 2,86,144     | 12,95,496    | 1,71,619                |
|    2 | Bahrain      | 15,67,448   | 23,82,454    | 28,50,598    | 9,24,957                |
|    3 | Indonesia    | 5,29,964    | 3,43,347     | 4,65,901     | 1,08,070                |
|    4 | Iraq         | 6,85,958    | 30,97,21,165 | 3,27,26,567  | 3,65,582                |
|    5 | Jordan       | 4,01,283    | 3,09,352     | 2,86,116     | 10,93,670               |
|    6 | Kuwait       | 90,37,045   | 90,94,236    | 61,06,566    | 33,59,640               |
|    7 | Lebanon      | 30,219      | 1,32,118     | 6,50,583     | 4,19,552                |
|    8 | Libya        | 3,49,470    | 93,70,862    | 15,09,750    | 27,386                  |
|    9 | Malaysia     | 91,40,531   | 2,37,96,137  | 1,59,05,176  | 3,16,66,573             |
|   10 | Oman         | 6,98,14,871 | 1,11,28,456  | 95,09,730    | 88,28,881               |
|   11 | Qatar        | 33,50,623   | 38,86,447    | 85,85,479    | 51,05,151               |
|   12 | Saudi Arabia | 4,80,43,405 | 3,16,79,258  | 2,75,67,790  | 1,88,01,871             |
|   13 | Sudan        | 1,10,925    | Nil          | Nil          | Nil                     |
|   14 | Syria        | Nil         | Nil          | 55,881       | 1,69,033                |
|   15 | Thailand     | Nil         | Nil          | Nil          | Nil                     |
|   16 | U. A. E.     | 9,58,29,176 | 33,98,12,771 | 20,44,38,364 | 3,09,02,327             |
|   17 | Yemen        | 1,22,756    | 11,98,731    | 2,17,86,607  | 2,77,690                |
|   18 | South Sudan  | Nil         | Nil          | Nil          | *Nil                    |

## *Figures related to the recent Operation Sankat Mochan for evacuation from South Sudan are not included.

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