Date:19/06/2004 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/06/19/stories/2004061900601900.htm

Back Kerala told to suggest changes in Emigration Act

Our Bureau

Thiruvananthapuram , June 18

THE Minister for Non-Resident Keralites Affairs, Mr M.M. Hassan, has said that the State Government has suggested amendments to the Emigration Act of 1983 in order to resolve the difficulties being faced by those seeking jobs abroad.

The External Affairs Minister, Mr Natwar Singh, has in turn asked the State Government to propose the necessary amendments when he met the former recently in New Delhi, Mr Hassan told a State-level meeting held here on Friday to discuss the issue of fly-by-night recruiters taking the gullible job seekers for a ride.

The State Government proposed to initiate talks soon with the Minister of State for External Affairs, Mr E. Ahmed, as also its own officials back home. A seminar would be held in Kozhikode to collect the larger public opinion in this context. Goof offices of well-known Keralites who had served the Indian Foreign Service were also being sought in this regard, Mr Hassan said.

At present, the State had Protector of Emigrant offices in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi. Request for a third centre in Kozhikode would be placed before the Centre.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Victor Fernandes, Secretary, Recruitment Agents Association, said that the country had eight Emigrants' Offices in all. Clearance granted by any of these would normally entitle a foreign-bound passenger hassle-free embarkation facility from a domestic airport of his choice. But, passengers holding the relevant papers had often been facing problems at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, largely a creation of the local police. This had to be dealt with adequately, he demanded.

Despite news about the travails of the young men who left home for destinations in Azerbaijan and Iraq having been brought to light, similar instances continued to be reported from different parts of the State.

Also, some recruitment agencies had been calling themselves `counselling' agencies; but the Emigration Act did not provide for counselling services. More often than not, concerned Emigration Officers were not being informed, as required by law, when a recruiting agency went to another State looking for fresh people.