Now an exclusive division in MEA to handle NRI issues in GCC
May 7: In line with the importance that India attaches to its expatriates working in the six Gulf Council Countries, besides the 12 other Emigration-Check-Required (ECR) category of countries, the government has established a full-fledged division in its Ministry of External Affairs to deal with all the issues pertaining to them.
The creation of an exclusive, fullfledged division in the MEA to deal with issues pertaining to expats in the all ECR countries comes in the wake of the merger of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs with the MEA.
Rechristened Overseas Indian Affairs — I, the division, as per an official note, has been mandated “to handle all matters pertaining to the Indian community in ECR countries, including policies related to emigration, Labour-related memorandums of understandings and dialogues with the six GCC countries and the welfare measures and schemes of the expats working there”.
In lieu of the MOIA merged with the MEA, the government has created two other divisions too in the MEA: Overseas Indian Affairs Division II and Overseas Employment Division and Protectorate General of Emigrants.
As per the official note, the Overseas Indian Affairs Division II would handle “all matters pertaining to global engagement with the Indian community including schemes, initiatives, Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas and Regional Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas, besides the Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra; etc”
The note added that another division named “the Overseas Employment Division and Protectorate General of Emigrants” will deal with implementation of Emigration Act 1983; ECR categories of workers in ECR countries, registration of recruitment agents and foreign employers, issue of ECR clearances, standard employment contracts for Indian workers in ECR countries and complaints against registered and unregistered agents.”
“These three Divisions have started working in close coordination with the Consular, Passport and Visa Divisions in MEA.
Other work pertaining to administration, finance, accounts, parliament matters in MoIA is being handled by existing MEA Divisions,” said the official note, apprising a lawmakers panel of the functioning of the newly set up three divisions.
The note also informed the parliamentary panel that “from 201617, the budget of erstwhile MOIA will be merged with MEA, while retaining all the budget heads and sub-heads under which the various schemes, programmes, events and policies relating to the Indian Diaspora were being implemented.”