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QUESTION NO.4984 SUICIDE BY INDIANS IN OTHER COUNTRIES

April 01, 2022

LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4984
TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.04.2022

SUICIDE BY INDIANS IN OTHER COUNTRIES

4984. KUNWAR DANISH ALI:

Will the Minister of External Affairs be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has taken note of the cases of suicide by Indians in other countries since 2014;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government has made efforts to ascertain the reasons behind these incidents of suicide among the Indians residing abroad;

(d) if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the steps being taken by the Government to curb the cases of suicide by Indians in other countries?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[SHRI V. MURALEEDHARAN]

(a) & (b) As per the information available with the Ministry, there have been 4005 cases of suicide by Indians in other countries since 2014. Country-wise list is placed at Annexure-I.PDF file that opens in new window. To know how to open PDF file refer Help section located at bottom of the site.

(c) & (d) Most of the suicide incidents have reportedly occurred on account of personal/family reasons.

(e) The Ministry of External Affairs and our Missions/Posts accord high priority to the welfare and well-being of Indian nationals especially of Indian workers who constitute a large proportion of expatriate Indians.

Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra (PBSK) is a welfare initiative of Government of India to provide support to Indian expatriates in need. In order to prevent workers’ deaths such as suicides, road accidents etc., awareness campaigns are conducted by the Missions/Posts through labour camps organised by PBSKs in collaboration with the Indian Missions/Posts. Indian officials work proactively to alleviate and resolve the difficulties being faced by Indians abroad. Indians abroad having any difficulty can approach Indian Missions/Posts in getting his/her problems addressed promptly.

Consular Officers posted in Indian Missions/Posts abroad are tasked with addressing the difficulties of distressed Indians. In Gulf countries where there are large numbers of Indian workers, our Missions and Posts have specialized Community Welfare Wings and Labour Wings. In addition, the Government operates an online portal called ‘MADAD’ for addressing the grievances of Indian nationals abroad. The MADAD Portal is regularly monitored in our Missions/Posts at various levels, thus giving high priority to grievances of Indian nationals.

Missions/Posts abroad have also taken initiatives like establishing 24x7 Helplines and Toll Free Helplines, holding Open House sessions to provide an additional informal platform to address the problems of Indian nationals, engaging with social organizations and individuals to reach out to Indian nationals, promoting practices like Yoga for healthy living including for mental health and wellbeing, etc. Grievances brought to the notice of the Ministry and the Missions/Posts through social media, including twitter, are also promptly addressed.

Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) is a fund set up in all Indian Missions/Posts abroad to extend assistance to deserving Indians in times of distress and emergency on a meanstested basis. Whenever Mission/Post is informed about any Indian national in distress, all possible assistance are provided to them including shelter, legal assistance wherever necessary as well as issuance of travel documents/air tickets, etc.

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