New Delhi: The movement of every person who exits the country would be regulated soon, thanks to a proposed bill that seeks to transform the emigration process into a simple and hassle-free exercise.
The inter-ministerial consultations on the Emigration Management Bill, 2010, which would replace the existing Emigration Act, 1983, is over and the Bill will soon be sent
to the Cabinet for its approval, a government official said today.
The draft Bill was sent to various ministries including Law Ministry and Home Ministry for their comments.
"We expect the Cabinet to give its approval by the end of June, after which the Bill would be tabled in Parliament," G Gurucharan, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs said at a Workshop on Prevention of Irregular Migration.
He said the new legislation would provide a state-of-the art model to regulate all those who leave the country whether he is a skilled worker, unskilled or even professionals.
Secretary, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, A Didar Singh stressed on the need for bilateral and regional agreements between countries to streamline the emigration process.
"An international agreement in this regard is far off and so it is necessary that bilateral and regional agreements between countries be signed. It should handle both regular and
irregular emigration," he said.
Singh said India has already signed an agreement with Denmark and negotiations for a similar pact with Belgium,
Netherlands and France are in advance stages.
Gurucharan said under the new law, an Emigration
Management Authority (EMA) is proposed to be created replacing
the existing Protector General of Emigrants and EMA will
create a user-friendly online system to ensure hassle-free
emigration.
The legislation also seeks to tighten noose against
those unscrupulous agents who often dupe people seeking to go
abroad.
As per the new bill, all the recruiting agencies will
be regulated and registration of agencies made mandatory based
on specific criteria.
Gurucharan said India has set up 'Indian Workers
Resource Centre' in Gulf countries to help workers from the
country, especially those in unorganised sector.
"The centres will provide legal, health and financial
counselling for the Indian workers in Gulf countries," he
said.
The government is planning to make it mandatory for
foreign employers from certain countries to register in India
under the new Law.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, May 13, 2010, 15:48