States to proactively stop NRI marriages

Proactive steps will be taken by the State governments against illegal emigration, fraudulent recruitment for overseas employment and cheating of Indian brides by NRI grooms.

This was decided at a consultative meeting between the Centre and states attended by the Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi.

As per the decision taken at the meeting which concluded here on Thurday, the states would now monitor prosecution of offenders under the Emigration Act by setting up fast track courts.

The State governments would also undertake awareness campaigns to educate young girls and their parents about precautions to be exercised while considering marrige proposal from an NRI, official sources said.

The States would establish an Overseas Workers Resource Centre and educate people about the pitfalls of illegal migration, and the procedures and framework for legal migration.

They would vigorously implement the skill upgradation programme with 100 per cent central funding. It was agreed that a nodal department would be constituted in each State to attend to the issues concerning overseas Indians.

State governments would also create a database on the overseas Indians hailing from their territory and ensure creation of 15 per cent supernumerary seats in educational institutions for the benefit of the children of overseas Indians.

The States agreed to associate with the Centre in augmenting cultural engagement with the Indian Diaspora. It was also decided that the States would work in partnership with the Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre (OIFC) to boost investment by overseas Indias for organising global investors' meets in different countries.