MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh details PBSK operations and eMigrate protections for migrant workers

Hyderabad, 30^th July 2025: During a recent Lok Sabha session, BJP MP Arvind Dharmapuri raised a question on the functioning of Pravasi Bharatiya Seva Kendras (PBSKs) and the government’s efforts to sensitise Indian workers, particularly those migrating to Gulf countries, about their rights and safety.

Responding to the query, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh stated that there are currently four functional PBSKs abroad: in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Dubai (UAE), Jeddah, and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia). Within India, one PBSK operates in Delhi, supported by six Kshetriya PBSKs in Kochi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Lucknow, Patna, and Chandigarh.

The Minister clarified that expenditure for services offered by overseas PBSKs is met through the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF), based on a means-tested system. No separate budget is allocated specifically for PBSKs abroad.

To ensure safe and legal migration, MoS Singh highlighted the role of the eMigrate portal, which brings together foreign employers, registered recruiting agents, and prospective emigrants on a single digital platform. The Ministry also runs a dedicated helpline and regularly issues advisories to warn against fraudulent recruitment agencies and fake job offers.

The Minister further added that the government has launched initiatives such as the Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana (PBBY) and Pre-Departure Orientation and Training (PDOT) to prepare workers for overseas employment. PDOT is aimed at enhancing soft skills and familiarising workers with the language, culture, laws, and workplace norms of their destination countries. As an added safeguard, only state-run recruiting agencies are authorised to recruit female workers under the Emigration Check Required (ECR) category, especially for employment in the Gulf.

MoS Singh concluded by noting that Indian missions make every effort to assist stranded nationals, whether due to non-payment of wages, denial of emergency leave, or passport retention and help facilitate their return by issuing Emergency Certificates free of cost