(a) whether any case of smuggling of maids to Gulf countries
by illegal labour exporting and other agencies has come to the
notice of the Government during the last three years;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Goiovernment propose to impose a ban on such
maids being sent to the these countries; and
(d) if so, the action taken in this regard?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT ( SHRI MUNI LALL )
(a) & (b): Sporadic complaints regarding cheating of
intending emigrants are received against the agencies engaged in
the business of recruitment of Indian maids for overseas
employment. While some of the agencies against whom the
complaints are received, are registered with the Govt. under the
Emigration Act, 1983, others are operating unauthorisedly.
Complaints generally relate to collection of service charges in
excess of the amount provided for under the rules, collection of
money from the intending emigrants but not actually sending them
for overseas employment, sending some of the workers to the other
countries against non-existent jobs and in some cases changing
the terms and condition of employment of the workers on reaching
the alien land, to theirdisadvantage. During the last three
years, the number of such complaints received by the Govt. was as
under:
From:
Year No. of ComplaintsWith a view to curbing the activities of unauthorised agents, detailed guide-lines have been issued to the State Governments for issue of necessary instruction right upto the police station level for keeping strict vigil on the activities of agents and registration of cases against them.
1997 91 1998 122 1999 163