RAJYA DABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.452
TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.02.2019
EMERGENCY PLAN FOR EVACUATION OF MIGRANT WORKERS
452. DR. BANDA PRAKASH:
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether Government proposes to frame an emergency plan with standard operating procedures and an institutional mechanism to evacuate migrant workers, especially the millions in West Asia;
(b) if so, details thereof; and
(c) by when the guidelines would be framed?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]
(a) Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs (2018-19) of the 16th Lok Sabha in its 23rd Report presented on January 2, 2019 on "Issues relating to migrant workers including appropriate legislative framework and skill development initiatives for
prospective migrants” has recommended that "the Government should chalk out an emergency plan that clearly delineates Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and also forge an institutionalized mechanism with host countries to evacuate workers”. The report further
recommended that "the migrant workers should also be provided with the manner in which emergency situations can be dealt with during their pre-departure training phase.”
(b) & (c) Indian Missions and Posts abroad have in place detailed crisis management plans for dealing with emergency situations, taking into account the specific local conditions of respective countries and keeping in view the interests, safety and security
of all Indian nationals in the countries concerned. Migrant workers proceeding overseas for employment are now being given pre-departure orientation training under which relevant information for dealing with emergency situations in foreign countries including
emergency contact numbers of Indian Missions, 24x7 helpline numbers of Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra (PBSK), etc. are provided. In addition, The Handbook of Migrant Workers, which is distributed to migrant workers attending PDOT programme at PDOT Centres
in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi and Lucknow also contains contact details of Indian Missions/Posts in GCC countries, Protector of Emigrants (POE) Offices in India, Helpline numbers of PBSK and url of Madad Portal.
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