Govt working on bill to curb emigration frauds by travel agents: Sushma Swaraj

The government is working on an Emigration Management Bill to curb frauds by travel agents, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said today.

In a written response to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Swaraj said her ministry is working towards evolving a comprehensive emigration management framework.

"A committee has been constituted in the ministry comprising all concerned stake-holders to finalise the draft of Emigration Management Bill. One year extension has been taken from the Committee on Government Assurances in this regard," she said.

The new bill is expected to strengthen the regulatory framework already in place under the Emigration Act, 1983, towards checking malpractice and unscrupulous activities by recruiting agents.

Responding to another question on whether the government proposes to bring in a legislation enabling it to cancel the passports of NRIs who abandon their wives, V K Singh, a minister of state in the ministry, said an expert committee on NRI martial disputes has presented its report in August 2017.

He said some of the panel's recommendations, including constitution of an Integrated Nodal Agency (INA), have been accepted and implemented, while some are under examination.

"Cancellation of passport can take place only based on legal orders from court and hence suitable counselling and advice for the same is given through the INA mechanism," Singh said.