Govt plans to amend Emigration Act 1983

Dubai, Mar 20 (UNI) Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi has said the government is planning to amend the 1983 Emigration Act to curb illegal recruitment of workers to foreign countries.

Mr Ravi, who arrived in the Qatari capital of Doha yesterday to attend the meeting of Indian ambassadors from the Gulf region, said the mission heads would discuss problems faced by the Indian community, including the plight of those who are languishing in jails on various charges.

He said the meeting would seek effective solutions to such problems, especially those concerning the low-paid Indian workers in the Gulf, The Peninsula newspaper reported.

''I believe the provisions in the existing Act are not enough to curb such practices since the punishment is limited to cancellation of licences. I am for imprisonment of such recruiting agents,'' he added.

The government has implemented an insurance scheme that offers an insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh which includes medical facilities for the workers and their family when they return to India.

On the proposal to grant voting rights to NRIs, Mr Ravi said the bill provides facility for the enrollment in the voting list enabling the Indians overseas to exercise franchise if they are in India during the elections.

UNI XC PV RS1422