Erring recruiting agents (RAs) in India will face direct action from the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) once amendments to the Emigration Act, 1983, come into effect, said Indian Minister Vayalar Ravi here Thursday.
"The amendments to the Emigration Act, 1983, have been okayed by the cabinet and it is now awaiting approval from parliament," Ravi, minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, told reporters.
"Once the amendments come into effect, my ministry will be able to directly prosecute (erring) RAs without having to go through state governments," he said.
According to the minister, responsibility will now be fixed with RAs to ensure that whatever terms and conditions are agreed upon before a worker leaves for abroad should be abided by when he takes up employment in the host country.
"Very often what happens is that a worker is made to sign certain terms and conditions by the RAs before he leaves India. But once he arrives in the host country, he is made to sign a completely new document (with different terms and agreements)," Ravi, who is here for a meeting with the United Arab Emirates' Labour Minister Saqr Gobash, said.
He stated that fraudulent RAs would face up to five years in prison, be fined heavily and their licences could also be cancelled permanently.
