PRAYAS: EMPOWERING INDIAN DIASPORA

Context

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) launched a project called “PRAYAS” (Project Promoting Regular Assisted Migration for Youth and Skilled Professionals).

About the Project:

1. The Project was launched in partnership with Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for the year 2023-24.
2. Its objective is to facilitating safe, orderly, and regular migration for aspiring Indian migrant workers and students in collaboration with MEA, NITI Aayog, and State Governments.

About Indian Diaspora

1. Indian Diaspora refers to people who either come from India or are citizens of India but live in other countries, either for a short time or permanently.
2. It includes Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), or Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs).
3. India has a diaspora of 32 million people, with the largest communities residing in the UAE, USA, and Saudi Arabia.

• Also, India is the world’s largest recipient of remittances.

Problems Faced by Indian Diaspora foreign	Solutions
Salary uncertainty and temporary jobs	Support fair labor laws and regulations. Encourage skill development programs for the diaspora.
Lack of social protection and skill gap	Establish social protection measures. Promote stable and secure job setups.
Poor working conditions	Push for improved working conditions and rules.
Absence of grievance redressal	Support the establishment of grievance redressal mechanisms.
Biased Judicial systems	Work together with the countries hosting the diaspora to make sure the legal processes are clear and transparent.

Major Indian Government’s Initiatives for the Indian Diaspora:

1. Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF): support to Indian nationals facing crises in foreign.
2. Madad Portal: It allows migrants to lodge complaints online.
3. SWADES (Skilled Workers Arrival Database for Employment Support): to figure out what skills people have when they come back to India through the Vande Bharat Mission.
4. Vande Bharat Mission: helping diaspora to come back during COVID.
5. Global Pravasi Rishta Portal, Vaibhav Summit, Know India Programme, Tracing Roots, and Pravasi Teerth Darshan Yojana: to enhance engagement with the diaspora.

 

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