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LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO.360
TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.07.2019
TORTURE OF INDIAN WORKERS
*360. SHRI ADV. DEAN KURIAKOSE:
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has any data on the Indian workers in Gulf countries who are victims of torture by their sponsors and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Embassies/ Consulates have adequate staff to support these distressed workers and if so, the details thereof;
(c) the number of distressed Indian workers registered for repatriation in the Embassies/Consulates in Gulf countries;
(d) whether the Government has received any complaints against the Indian embassy staff from these affected workers; and
(e) if so, the details thereof and the action taken thereon?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
(DR. SUBRAHMANYAM JAISHANKAR)
(a) to (e) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
*****
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (A) to (E) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 360 REGARDING "TORTURE OF INDIAN WORKERS” FOR ANSWER ON 17.07.2019.
(a) As per information given by our Missions and Posts in the Gulf countries, the number of complaints by Indian workers due to various reasons are as follows:
|
S. No.
|
Country
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019 (as on 30.6.2019)
|
|
1
|
Bahrain
|
693
|
792
|
734
|
450
|
|
2
|
Qatar
|
2747
|
3328
|
3244
|
1459
|
|
3
|
Saudi Arabia
|
8912
|
8447
|
8272
|
2244
|
|
4
|
Oman
|
2245
|
4144
|
3594
|
1764
|
|
5
|
Kuwait
|
4187
|
4481
|
3287
|
2377
|
|
6
|
United Arab Emirates
|
2368
|
3756
|
2153
|
1477
|
Most of the complaints received from and on behalf of Indian workers are regarding non-payment of salaries and denial of legitimate labour rights and benefits such as non-issuance/renewal of residence permits, non-payment/grant of overtime allowance, weekly
holidays, longer working hours, refusal to grant exit/re–entry permits for visit to India, refusal to allow the worker on final exit visa after completion of their contracts and non-provision of medical and insurance facilities, not being paid compensation
upon death, etc.
(b) There are 42 India based officers and 202 India based staff deployed in 11 Missions and Posts in the Gulf countries. They are assisted by 354 local employees. The requirement of manpower in any establishment changes depending upon varying workload from
time to time. Ministry of External Affairs regularly reviews the requirement of manpower at various levels in Missions and Posts abroad as well as at the Headquarters, and takes appropriate action as per the requirement.
(c ) The country-wise numbers of workers who registered for repatriation in the Embassies/ Consulates in Gulf countries are as under.
|
S. No.
|
Country
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019 (as on 30.6.2019)
|
|
1
|
Bahrain
|
455
|
608
|
546
|
285
|
|
2
|
Qatar
|
2747
|
1985
|
2387
|
1138
|
|
3
|
Saudi Arabia
|
3030
|
1747
|
5078
|
1104
|
|
4
|
Oman
|
2012
|
1735
|
1036
|
665
|
|
5
|
Kuwait
|
4086
|
4406
|
3208
|
2330
|
|
6
|
United Arab Emirates
|
401
|
568
|
643
|
282
|
(d) No.
(e ) Does not arise.
***