PM Modi to Release Commemorative Postage Stamp at Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on 9th January
By Sukanta Kumar Mohanty
New Delhi, JAN 5: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is going to release a commemorative postage stamp under the campaign ‘Go Safe, Go Trained’. The campaign aims to raise public awareness about the importance of using safe and legal channels when travelling for employment overseas, so that well-informed migrants can integrate seamlessly and stay safe abroad and be productive. To give further impetus to the unique campaign of the Ministry, on January 9th, on the occasion of 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release a postage stamp dedicated to the safe and legal migration of our labour category migrants.
The MEA is particularly concerned about fraudulent and illegal recruitment of vulnerable sections of migrant workers who constitute a major Indian workforce, primarily in Gulf countries. It includes labourers, domestic sector workers, construction workers, drivers, restaurant workers and other blue-collar job categories whose recruitment is regulated as per the provisions of the Emigration Act of 1983. With an increase in these frauds and illegal migration, the Ministry is making constant efforts to educate the expatriates about the dangers of illegal channels.
The MEA stated that keeping in view the welfare of emigrant workers, the e-Migrate system was introduced from 2015 and all ECR migrants are advised to migrate abroad only through statutory channels i.e., the e-Migrate portal. The portal houses over 200,000 overseas employers and over 2500 registered recruitment agents. The portal also has a list of registered and unregistered recruitment agencies.
The Ministry is also coordinating with several state governments and relevant stakeholders to disseminate information on safe and legal channels so as to increase benefits of overseas employment opportunities. Indian Missions abroad also play an important role in actively sensitizing Indian job seekers through advice about fake job offers by fraudulent and illegal channels.
The MEA’s recent efforts in rescuing Indians from a fake racket of job opportunities in Myanmar through recruiting agencies based out of Thailand is another example of the kind of work the Indian government is doing in order to spread awareness and safeguard its people across the globe, looking for opportunities abroad.
