Question : ILLEGAL PLACEMENT AGENCIES

(a) whether a large number of illegal placement agencies are functioning in the country particularly in Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR) and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether such illegal agencies continue to exploit minors from other States by employing them at households work and also extracting money from unemployed persons in the name of providing jobs;

(c) if so, the action taken against such illegal placement agencies and the number of persons arrested and fine collected from them during each of the last three years, State-wise particularly in Delhi and NCR;

(d) whether the Government has also set up a Tripartite Committee to examine the issue pertaining to such placement agencies; and

(e) if so, the details thereof along with the details of works carried out by the said Committee?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH)

(a) A number of private placement agencies are functioning in the country. Data regarding private placement agencies is not maintained centrally. State Governments have been requested to take necessary steps for registration of private placement agencies. 518 placement agencies have been registered by the Government of Delhi under the Shops & Establishments Act. In addition, Ministry of overseas Indian Affairs registers Recruitment agents for carrying out recruitment for Overseas employment under the provisions of Emigration Act, 1983.

(b) &(C) State Governments are responsible for looking into the complaints against placement agencies and take action as appropriate. Information about such complaints is not maintained centrally. As per information received, nosuch complaint has been received by Labour Department of Government of Delhi. Further, in order to address various issues concerning Placement Agencies, the Government of Delhi, has drafted Private Placement Agencies Regulation Bill.

(c) &(e) Government has constituted a Tripartite Committee on 31.10.2011 to examine the issue pertaining to private placement agencies & publishing of eye catching/ misleading advertisements for various kinds of job opportunities. A meeting of the said Committee was held in 2011 and recommended that possibility of having a legal framework for regulation of private placement agencies be examined. V.V.Giri National Labour Institute has been entrusted to conduct a study in the matter.