RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3231
TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.12.2016
PEOPLE CHEATED BY FAKE AGENTS
3231. SHRI K. R. ARJUNAN:
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether Government is aware that a large number of the unemployed youth, workers etc. including women hailing from Tamil Nadu, are being cheated by the fake agents on the promise of getting job in Gulf countries and in South Asian countries such as Singapore and Malaysia; and
(b) if so, the details thereof and the steps proposed to be taken by Government to stop recurrence of such incidents?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]
(a) Yes.
(b) The Government has been receiving from time to time complaints/grievances from emigrants and their family members/relatives of being cheated by illegal agents. Such complaints are forwarded to concerned State Governments and police authorities urging them to apprehend illegal agents and prosecute them on the basis of complaints. Wherever required such complaints are also referred to Mission/Post abroad for providing relief/rescue.
As per the available records, the number of complaints against unregistered agents received and referred to the State Governments including Tamil Nadu from the year 2012 onwards is as under:
|
Year |
No. of Complaints |
Cases referred to State Govt for action |
Prosecution Sanction sought |
Prosecution sanction issued |
|
2012 |
254 |
240 |
16 |
16 |
|
2013 |
272 |
261 |
05 |
05 |
|
2014 |
170 |
153 |
08 |
08 |
|
2015 |
195 |
101 |
11 |
11 |
|
2016
(upto 5th December) |
230 |
218 |
42 |
42 |
Government has also issued Standard Operating Procedure on 26th May, 2016 to be followed by States on receipt of complaints. Visual and print media campaign are also launched from time to time besides engaging various NGOs encouraging people to use the services of Registered Recruiting Agents and not to go through Illegal/Fake Agents.
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