The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is going to release a commemorative postage stamp under the campaign ‘Go Safe, Go Trained’. The campaign aims to raise public awareness about the importance of using safe and legal channels when travelling for employment overseas, so that well-informed migrants can integrate seamlessly and stay safe abroad and be productive. To give further impetus to the unique campaign of the Ministry, on January 9th, on the occasion of 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release a postage stamp dedicated to the safe and legal migration of our labour category migrants.
The MEA is particularly concerned about fraudulent and illegal recruitment of vulnerable sections of migrant workers who constitute a major Indian workforce, primarily in Gulf countries. It includes labourers, domestic sector workers, construction workers, drivers, restaurant workers and other blue-collar job categories whose recruitment is regulated as per the provisions of the Emigration Act of 1983.
The MEA stated that keeping in view the welfare of emigrant workers, the e-Migrate system was introduced from 2015 and all ECR migrants are advised to migrate abroad only through statutory channels i.e., the e-Migrate portal. The portal houses over 200,000 overseas employers and over 2500 registered recruitment agents. The portal also has a list of registered and unregistered recruitment agencies.