By IANS,
New Delhi : A crucial bill aiming to transform emigration into an orderly economic process could not be introduced in parliament because of bureaucratic delays in the Law Ministry, Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi said here Friday.
The Emigration (Amendment) Bill, 2009 had been earlier cleared by the union cabinet. Finally, Law Minister H.R. Bharadwaj directly intervened to end the delay, Ravi told reporters here. However, it still could not be introduced.
Ravi said he was sad that he could not get the bill passed.
The provisions of the bill to amend the Emigration Act 1983 includes the insertion of new sections like the recruitment to be made on behalf of the employer and to provide details of employment, including contract conditions, to the intending emigrants before recruitment.
The bill, aiming to prohibit illegal emigration and human smuggling, also inserted a new section asking the employer to provide details of employment, including contract conditions, to the intending emigrants before recruitment and not subsequently alter the contract of employment.
The bill proposed to enhance penalties to effectively curb emigration offences and to provide for stringent penal provisions for curbing human smuggling.
The bill proposed to amend the Emigration Act, 1983 to define the duties and functions of key stakeholders like the Protector General of Emigrants, the recruiting agencies, the employers who recruit workers directly by obtaining a permit, the Indian mission abroad and the central government.