{"id":113963,"date":"2024-06-14T19:30:19","date_gmt":"2024-06-14T14:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=editorial-analysis&#038;p=113963"},"modified":"2024-06-15T13:18:23","modified_gmt":"2024-06-15T07:48:23","slug":"kuwait-tragedy-underscores-need-for-new-emigration-law","status":"publish","type":"editorial-analysis","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/kuwait-tragedy-underscores-need-for-new-emigration-law","title":{"rendered":"Kuwait Tragedy Underscores Need For New Emigration Law"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recently, both <\/span><b>Kuwait and India<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, especially Kerala, woke up to a heartbreaking\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">tragedy \u2014 a<\/span><b> fire in a six-storeyed building<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Mangaf had claimed the lives of 49 migrant workers, including over 40 Indians, in a <\/span><b>Keralite-run Kuwaiti construction company<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100.201%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 100%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: rgba(184, 165, 217, 0.53); text-align: left; vertical-align: middle;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Relevancy for Prelims: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kuwait Map, <\/span><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/india-gulf-countries-relations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gulf Countries<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-notes\/gulf-cooperation-council-gcc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/gcc-vision-for-regional-security\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gulf Cooperation Council&#8217;s Vision For Regional Security<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, etc.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Relevancy for Mains: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Need for New Emigration Law in India etc.<\/span><\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>Kuwait Tragedy Underscores Need For New Emigration Law<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Kuwaiti government has <\/span><b>initiated a probe and ordered a raid <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to find violations in buildings housing migrant workers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Course<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Mangaf<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a 30-minute drive from Kuwait City, is known for accommodating low- and mid level migrant workers from<\/span><b> India, Bangladesh, and Egypt <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in poor conditions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Indian ministry of external affairs (MEA) <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">has set up help <\/span><b>desks and hotlines<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and the <\/span><b>minister of state has arrived in Kuwait<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to assess the situation.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The government has also declared a <\/span><b>compensation of \u20b92 lakh<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> each to the families of the Indians who died in the fire.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, media attention will <\/span><b>shift from the tragedy <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to other news, and the MEA will become preoccupied with other pressing issues.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The fact is that, despite India being the<\/span><b> largest sender of migrants with around 13 million Indians<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> working abroad, and the <\/span><b>largest receiver of remittances ($11,100 crore), <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">it has frequently failed to uphold the rights of Indian workers on foreign Soil.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Union government continues to govern migration with the <\/span><b>outdated Indian Emigration Act of 1983<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, despite significant changes in migration worldwide.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2019, there was an <\/span><b>attempt to update the Act<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but it failed to get Parliament\u2019s approval.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Two years later, a fresh version, the <\/span><b>Emigration Bill 2021,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was put forward.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Suggestions were sought from the public and civil society organisations, but<\/span><b> not much has been heard <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">about it since then.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The existing Emigration Act <\/span><b>lacks standardised Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">for assisting Indians in foreign countries.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This gap became evident <\/span><b>during the Covid-19 pandemic <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">when Indians stranded abroad sought to return home.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then, <\/span><b>Indians were repatriated by their employers, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">mainly from the<\/span><b> Gulf Cooperation Council countries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates), which lack labour friendly laws.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They returned <\/span><b>empty-handed.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Indian government<\/span><b> lacked an effective mechanism<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to recover their unpaid wages or endof-service benefits, amounting to lakhs of rupees for many.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meanwhile, smaller out-migrant countries such as the <\/span><b>Philippines actively fought against <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">such wage theft.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Similar issues arose in <\/span><b>Qatar<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, when Indian workers involved in building stadiums for the football World Cup were <\/span><b>exploited and repatriated without receiving their wages<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Indian government was <\/span><b>silent.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Similarly, during <\/span><b>Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Indian students had to take shelter in bunkers, fearing for their lives.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>India lacked SOPs <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and an estimate of the number of students stranded, which meant it took <\/span><b>days to ascertain the situation.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, let\u2019s <\/span><b>explore another reason why an updated Emigration Act<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is necessary and how it could prove beneficial during tragedies, including the Kuwait fire.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Indian government provides<\/span><b> insurance coverage of \u20b910 lakh<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in case of accidental death or permanent disability, along with other benefits, for Indians migrating for employment.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unfortunately, this scheme is mandatory only for those migrating to <\/span><b>certain countries, holding specific passports,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and using the<\/span><b> eMigrate system<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> established by the late external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The covered destinations are <\/span><b>18 nations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> where<\/span><b> labour-friendly laws are lacking<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and there are security risks.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Among them are all six <\/span><b>Gulf countries, Malaysia, Iraq, and Yemen.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>chances of exploitation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of migrant workers are<\/span><b> high in these countries,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> including through denial of decent working and living conditions, among other forms.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The existing Emigration Act provides for two categories of passports, <\/span><b>Emigration Clearance Required (ECR)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and<\/span><b> Emigration Clearance Not Required (ECNR).<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Passports held by <\/span><b>under-matriculate<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> workers are of the ECR category.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Such workers must use the<\/span><b> eMigrate system<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and are <\/span><b>obligated to subscrib<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">e to the insurance scheme if they wish to migrate to the <\/span><b>aforementioned 18 countries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If these requirements are<\/span><b> not met<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, families of victims of incidents such as the Kuwait tragedy may <\/span><b>not receive the \u20b910 lakh compensation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Media reports indicate that the Kuwait fire victims from Kerala were <\/span><b>skilled migrants and highly educated, likely falling under the ECNR category <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014 subscribing to the insurance scheme would not have been mandatory for them.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Labour migration activists have been urging the Indian government to<\/span><b> update the Emigration Act <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and <\/span><b>address the existence of two passport categories<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, emphasising equal protection for both.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a labour migration researcher and forced labour investigator, I advocate <\/span><b>updating the Emigration Act, eliminating the ECR and ECNR distinction<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and establishing a comprehensive migration policy, similar to those in neighbouring countries.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India requires a <\/span><b>visionary plan<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> rather than mere response measures.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-textbooks?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Textbooks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>outdated Indian Emigration Act<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> must be updated to ensure comprehensive protection for all migrant workers, addressing both their <\/span><b>immediate needs and long-term welfare.<\/b><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100.099%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: rgba(184, 165, 217, 0.53); text-align: left; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Mains Question:<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/mains-answer-writing\/discuss-the-limitations-of-the-current-indian-emigration-act-1983-and-suggest-measures-that-can-be-incorporated-in-the-proposed-emigration-bill-to-ensure-better-protection-and-welfare-of-indian-work-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Q. Discuss the limitations of the current Indian Emigration Act, 1983, and suggest measures that can be incorporated in the proposed Emigration Bill to ensure better protection and welfare of Indian workers abroad. (10 marks, 150 words)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100.139%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 138.189%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\" colspan=\"2\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Must Read<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50.5357%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UPSC Daily Editorials<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 87.6532%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/daily-current-affairs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UPSC Daily Current Affairs<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50.5357%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; 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