GOVERNMENT PROPOSES TO SET UP CENTRAL MANPOWER EXPORT PROMOTION
COUNCIL
RAJYA SABHA
The Government propose to enact the
Emigration (Amendment) Bill, 2002 to set up the Central Manpower
Export Promotion Council and constitute Indian Overseas Workers’
Welfare Fund. The functions of the Council will be promotion of
employment opportunities for emigrants; projection of manpower
services; collection of statistics and information relating to
employment opportunities and matters connected therewith. The
Council will also collect and maintain statistics and information
in respect of persons seeking employment; liaison with other export
promotion agencies; recommendation to the Central Government about
the standards and guidelines for overseas employment; and administration
of the Indian Overseas Workers’ Welfare Fund. The proposed Fund
will meet the contingencies, such as making the payment to the
Embassies or High Commissions for arranging return ticket for
the workers who get stranded in the foreign countries; meeting
the cost of transportation of dead bodies of the workers; granting
financial assistance to such workers who become partially or permanently
disabled and providing relief for such other causes. The assistance
would not, however, be provided to illegal migrants. This was
stated by the Minister of State for Labour Shri Ashok Pradhan
in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today. He said two persons
representing the Recruiting Agents will be Members of the proposed
Council. The Government had received some proposals from recruiting
agents, for providing insurance cover, which were not accepted
so far in view of the proposed amendment, the Minister added.
