New Delhi, Nov 28 (FN Agency) Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh on Thursday said that a total of 3,094 illegal recruitment agents across the country have been notified on the eMigrate portal as of October this year. In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Singh mentioned that the Ministry had noticed that various travel agents in Punjab, who are not authorized to engage in recruitment for overseas employment as per the provisions of The Emigration Act, 1983, are carrying out this work illegally.
“In the cyber domain, action is also taken against illegal recruiting agents in association with the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), MHA, and State Police authorities,” he said. “A total of 38 FIRs have been registered against illegal recruiting agencies based in Punjab,” he added. “Ministry is aware of fraudulent activities by some illegal/unscrupulous recruitment agents/agencies in the country, including that in Punjab,” MoS said. Complaints have also been filed by aggrieved emigrants or their relatives/friends who have been cheated by their employers, he said adding that it comes to Ministry’s notice that various travel agents in Punjab, who are not authorised to engage in recruitment for overseas employment as per the provisions of The Emigration Act 1983, carry out this work illegally. “Ministry issues advisories through eMigrate portal, social media handles and other modes of publicity about the perils of fake job rackets and ways to prevent the same,” he said.
“Till October 2024, a total of 3,094 illegal agents in country including that in Punjab have been notified on the eMigrate portal. The awareness campaign on safe and legal migration through eMigrate portal is carried out by the Ministry across the country including that in Punjab by conducting workshops, trainings, information sessions, digital campaigns for media groups, police officials and law enforcement agencies, local administration, aspiring recruiting agents, entrepreneurs and general public,” Singh said. During these sessions awareness on emigration regulations, schemes beneficial for emigrants like Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana (PBBY), Pre-Departure Orientation Training (PDOT), eMigrate portal and various advisories issued by Indian Embassies are brought to the notice of all stakeholders. As and when complaints of illegal migration/human trafficking are received, such matters are referred to the State police for investigation and prosecution under the relevant legal provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and other legislation in place including that enacted by the Punjab Government like Punjab Prevention of Human Smuggling Act, 2012.