Hyderabad: The Telangana NRI advisory committee urged the MPs from the state to strengthen key protections in the proposed Overseas Mobility (Facilitation and Welfare) Bill, 2025, warning that several migrant safeguards have been diluted in the latest draft.
During a four-day visit to Delhi, vice chairman Mandha Bheem Reddy and committee member Chennamaneni Srinivas Rao submitted a detailed report on the concerns. The Overseas Mobility (Facilitation and Welfare) Bill, 2025, is set to replace the Emigration Act, 1983, impacting a significant Indian migrant worker population.
What does the new Bill say
The committee stated that the new Bill removes direct access to courts, merges women and child specific safeguards into a broad “vulnerable classes” category, drops mandatory fee disclosures, and lacks accountability for recruitment agencies after deployment.
“Definitions of “emigrant,” “overseas employment,” and “work” remain narrow and ambiguous, excluding students, dependents who take up jobs abroad, and digital workers. The Bill also lacks a definition of human trafficking,” they said.
The proposed Overseas Mobility Council excludes migrant-sending states, trade unions, and rights organisations, while state Nodal Committees have been removed altogether. With Emigration Check Posts being abolished, the committee warned of inadequate regulatory alternatives.
“Provisions for pre-departure training, post-arrival support, and essential assistance services such as 24/7 helplines and airport/mission support remain unclear or non-mandatory,” they said.
Suggestions
The committee wants the Union government to reinstate enforceable rights related to recruitment, fair wages and social protection.
It seeks to broaden legal definitions, decentralised governance with representation from states and civil society and strengthen grievance redress systems.
It also urged the government to introduce robust anti-trafficking and compensation provisions to ensure the dignity and safety of Indian workers abroad.
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