New emigration Act to end problems of unskilled workers overseas

Agencies

Hyderabad, 22 February 2011: Most problems of Indian emigrants overseas, particularly the exploitation of unskilled and semi-skilled workers in the Gulf and South East Asian nations, will end once a new law replaced the existing one, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) K.N. Shrivastava said here on Monday.

 

Speaking at the two-day Overseas Employers’ Conference, a first of its kind in the country, he said that a Bill on Emigration Management Act was likely to be introduced in Parliament, making it mandatory for registration of recruiting agencies, employers, and workers with the Ministry.

 

Further, the “e-migrate” project would enable the Ministry keep track of everything related to emigration check. E-passports containing electronic chip with personal and biometric details would be issued under the project, he explained.

 

India had a bilateral labour memorandum of understanding with all the Gulf Cooperation Countries, but things needed to be improved in the Gulf as well as other South East Asian countries.

 

Proposal for pension

 

The government is planning to provide social security to emigrant employees after they return home, by proposing a pension and life insurance fund.

 

The proposal is already with the government but was yet to be approved. There are over 5 million Indians working in the GCC and SEA countries as unskilled and semi-skilled workers.