LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.648
TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.07.2017
FAKE RECRUITMENT AGENCIES
648. SHRI K.N. RAMACHANDRAN:
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether there is a mushrooming of recruitment agencies luring persons with placements abroad;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether complaints are received about cheating/fraud by these agencies;
(d) if so, the details of such complaints received during the last two years and this year, year-wise and the details of action taken against the culprits;
(e) whether the Government has got any mechanism to regulate/register/monitor such agencies; and
(f) if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
(SHRI M. J. AKBAR)
(a) to (c) Government maintains data only of registered recruiting agents. However, the complaints are received from time to time, including cheating/fraud by fake recruitment agencies from emigrants and their family members/relatives. 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 of
emigrants in distress. On receipt of request from State Government, Prosecution Sanction is issued enabling them to prosecute such illegal agents.
(d) As per the available records, the number of complaints against unregistered agents received and referred to the State Governments from the year 2015 onwards are as under:
|
Year
|
No. of Complaints
|
Cases referred to State Govt for action
|
Prosecution Sanction sought
|
Prosecution Sanction issued
|
|
2015
|
195
|
101
|
11
|
11
|
|
2016
|
231
|
231
|
42
|
42
|
|
2017
(till 30 June)
|
220
|
220
|
15
|
15
|
(e) & (f) Since ‘Law & Order’ is a State subject, and since illegal agents mostly operate from the territory of States, it is the prime responsibility of State Governments to stop illegal activities of such fake recruitment agencies and take action to apprehend
and prosecute them, after investigations.
Government has also issued a Standard Operating Procedure on 26th May, 2016, to be followed by State Governments, on receipt of complaints. Visual and print media campaign have also been launched from time to time, in several languages encouraging people to
use the services of Registered Recruiting Agents only and not to go through Illegal/Fake Agents, for Overseas Employment.
Emigrants and their relatives can also register their complaints at MADAD Portal of the Ministry. Two high level meetings have been held by the Ministry of External Affairs with State Government NRI Departments to sensitise them on the need to take prompt action
on complaints received against illegal recruiting agents.
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