Before the ongoing Lok Sabha session was adjourned sine die by Speaker Om Birla, the External Affairs ministry (MEA) told the house on Friday, August 9, that Andhra Pradesh has 498 fake job recruitment agents as of June 2024. Andhra’s tally of fake agents is the highest in the country as per the Union government’s e-Migrate portal.
Questions regarding fake job recruitment agents were raised by Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MPs GM Harish Balayogi and Byreddy Shabari as well as MPs Rahul Kaswan and Anto Antony from Rajasthan and Kerala. The MEA was asked about what steps the Union government had taken to probe the issue, if any action had been taken and if trafficked youth were provided with any assistance or rehabilitation.
The Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh stated that when such complaints come up they are referred to the state police for investigation and prosecution. “The MEA has issued Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) to be followed by state governments on receipt of complaints against such fake agencies and has also been coordinating with concerned stakeholders including state governments and law enforcement agencies to disseminate information regarding overseas employment,” he said.
As of June 2024, 3042 fake job agents have been identified across India by the External affairs ministry. Kirti Vardhan also noted that aside from print media campaigns to raise awareness, the MEA has also signed Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreements (MMPAs) with destination countries like France, Germany, Italy, Australia, Austria and Denmark.
“On the political front, the Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendras (PBSK) – an MEA wing have been set up in New Delhi and at Dubai (UAE), Riyadh & Jeddah (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) to provide assistance and counseling to Indian workers in distress,” he said.
The MEA also said that under the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) financial and legal assistance to Indian nationals in distress abroad on a ‘means tested basis’ has also been provided. “From 2014 to March 2024, around Rs 656 crore has been utilised under the fund and around 3.5 lakh Indians were extended assistance,” Kirti Vardhan stated.