India to sign labour agreement with Gulf nations

New Delhi, Nov 7: Amid reports of cheating and harassment of migrant workers abroad, India has been negotiating with major labour receiving countries to enter into a bilateral labour agreement or Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) in the interest of promotion of overseas employment of Indian workers and protection of their rights.

''Bilateral agreements formalise government-to-government engagement and can facilitate better management of international migration as an orderly and humane process aimed at benefiting both countries apart from the emigrants,'' Overseas Indian Affairs (OIA) Minister Vayalar Ravi told mediapersons at an interaction at the All India Economic Editors' Conference organised here by the Press Information Bureau.

He said such agreements provided both countries a platform for implementing best practices, findng practical solutions to migrants problems and preventing irregular migration.

Mr Ravi said his ministry had initiated the process for signing agreements or MoUs with Malaysia, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwai, Oman and Bahrain. ''The process is at an advanced stage in the case of Kuwait.'' In this context, he pointed out that a tentative draft was agreed upon by India and Kuwait. However, the concurrence of Kuwait side on a particular article relating to protection of Indians working in the unorganised sector in that country was awaited. ''I hope that the agreement would be finalised within this financial year.'' The OIA ministry had prepared a draft labour agreement to initiate negotiations with the remaining five countries. The single most important consideration that had gone into the making of the draft model agreement was the concern for ensurng the welfare of Indian workers during such overseas employment.

The draft seeks to lay special emphasis on formal employment contract as a precondition before departure of the worker. The contract will not be altered except with the permission of mission to enhance the workers benefits. The counter signature of the recruiting agent on the contract and the registration of every worker with the Indian mission by the foreign employer are to be made compulsory.

The host country should take legislative and administrative measures to promote welfare of the workers in the unorganised sector.

There are about five million overseas Indian workers with 90 per cent of them being in the Gulf countries and Malaysia. Kerala had sent the largest contingent of 125,000 workers for overseas jobs, followed by Tamil Nadu-117,000 and Karnataka-75,000

Mr Ravi said a bill seeking to amend the Indian Emigration Act, 1983, would be introduced in the winter session of Parliament. The bill had already been drafted and awaiting approval of the Union Cabinet. "There is an urgent need to convert the Emigration act into an effective instrument for promotion of employment related migration, prevention of irregular migration and graduation of Indian workers up the wage chain," he said, adding that "a well conceived vision on emigration is the need of the house for not ony ensuring the protection of the Indian workers going abroad but also from the perspective of the image of the country." Mr Ravi said the draft bill would have provisions to address the complaints about exploitation and ill treatment of emigrants by their employers and malpractices like substitution of contract, underpayment and delayed payment of wages, denial of contractual facilities.

The amendment would seek to make the emigration process simpler, more transparent and capable of orderly migration, besides laying down the roles and responsibilities of critical stakeholders like the central and state governments, Indian missions, Protector General of Emigrants and Recruiting agencies.

It seeks to make penalties for errant recruiting agent more stringent and a specific penal provision in respect of the offence of "people smuggling." The new law would also have an inbuilt mechanism to regulate emigration of women, especially those below the age of 30, who move out to foreign countries as domestic servants.

On the demand of the Overseas Indians for voting rights, Mr Ravi said the bill for the purpose was introduced in Rajya Sabha in the last sitting. It would be introduced in the Lok Sabha during the winter session along with the recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee.

Referring to the proposal to set up a University exclusively for the People of Indian Origin (PIOs), he said the project would be implemented next year. It would be set up in private-public partnership. The university would help the NRIs and PIOs to send their children to study in India at an affordable fee. However, the proposal was yet to get clearance from the Union cabinet. The details of the proposal, including its location, would be decided after cabnet clearance.

Replying to a question, Mr Ravi said there was a proposal to set up four more offices of Protector of Emigrants, including one in Lucknow. At present, there of POE offices in India.

Saying that 72,000 Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards have been issued since January this year, he said the scope of the benefits under the scheme would soon be expanded.

An ICT-driven Diaspora Knowledge Network would be established to tap India's diaspora knowledge resources and give impetus to projects in the Public private partnership mode in the social sectors.

He said an overseas Indian investment faciitation centre would be set up in partnership with apex industry associations and the states to serve as a first and single point for prospective overseas indian investors.

Mr Ravi said a means-cum-merit scholarship scheme would be introduced for the children of overseas Indians to study in India.

UNI