Protector of Emigrants (POE) warns people against unauthorized agents while going abroad for jobs
Mangaluru: Warning the people who go abroad for employment, IFS Officer, Protector of Emigrants, Bengaluru (Jurisdiction: Karnataka and Goa) Shubham Singh has said that people should deal only with an authorized agent, certified by the office of the Protector of Emigrants (POE) under Ministry of External Affairs.
He was speaking to Vartha Bharati in an interview on his visit to Mangaluru to review the operations and functioning of authorized agencies and to check on unauthorized agencies in the region.
“Agencies that recruit people for jobs abroad should obtain certification from the Protector of Emigrants (POE) that operates under the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). There are only 20 agencies in the state that are registered with the POE” Shubham Singh told Vartha Bharati.
He also added that the POE has initiated a crackdown on the agencies that are operating illegally in the state including in Mangaluru and are recruiting people for jobs abroad.
The office of POEs started operating in Karnataka from December after a long-standing demand from the government. It is responsible for protecting the interests of Indians migrating abroad for jobs. Shubham opined that much has changed ever since the POEs started operating in the state. There is a lot of awareness in the public sector.
“Those who are going abroad for employment and want to contact us can do so through our official website or telephone to confirm the authenticity of the agencies they are dealing with” he added.
“Our primary duty is to ensure that the rights of migrants from Karnataka are protected and that their rights are not violated. We are also the authorized body to grant permissions to the companies and agencies who recruit people for jobs abroad” Shubham added.
“With the help of police and local authorities, the POE also campaigns against the illegal entities and agencies that hire people for jobs in abroad. We also are working to raise awareness through our programs to ensure that those who go abroad for work are not exposed to frauds and violation of their rights in any way.
“Any worker and employee who has gone abroad for work and is facing a violation of his rights, we provide assistance to them through the Indian Embassy in that particular country. The agency at fault and defrauding people will be tried under the law for violating the rights of the people.” Shubham further said.
“The Bangalore office, which is functioning under the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India, has jurisdiction over Karnataka and Goa and is fully operational. There are currently 20 official recruiting agencies in Karnataka. Seven of them are operating in Mangaluru.
“The list of 51 foreign recruiting agents operating in Karnataka has already been checked by the police department. The other 280 agents are operating without authorization, POE is investigating them. During my Mangaluru visit, I met 30 unauthorized agents. They’ve been warned not to violate the Immigration Act and they are advised to register themselves with the POE.
“Some had no idea how to register. So there is a good response. Three of you have already started the process for registration” he said.
Speaking about the COVID pandemic and the economic crisis abroad, Shubham said it was a temporary scenario and things will change for better. Businesses will reopen after the pandemic ends and that will bring more job opportunities for people.
“The recruitment process has begun in some countries over the past few weeks. Skype interviews have begun for employees in several sectors, including drivers, mechanics, and technicians. Therefore, those looking for employment abroad and those who wish to go abroad should deal through authorized recruitment agents only”.
“The POE office will respond to complaints, grievances against any agents within one hour. I guarantee that we will respond to all the complaints. Prospective agents who wish to register with the POE office can also obtain the registration permit by submitting the documents mentioned on the Emigrate.gov.in website for their registration”. Contact no: 8025711499/599.
List of Karnataka’s authorized recruiters of people for jobs abroad:
The Ameen Group Bengaluru, JOBKRAFT Bengaluru, Rehman Enterprises Bengaluru, Seema Enterprises Bengaluru, Euthalia HR Solutions PVT LTD Bengaluru, DURU Cooperation PVT Bengaluru, KSUWSSB Bengaluru, KVTSDC Bengaluru, International Outsourcing Consulting Services Bengaluru, M/S DKN Advisory Bengaluru, HR Consultancy Bangalore (Bengaluru), Careers International Mangaluru, M/S Royal Source Manpower Solutions LLP Moodbidri, Everserve Consultants PVT Mangaluru, Roywin Recruiters Bantwal, Suhan Travel Mangaluru, Gemini Enterorise Mangaluru, ASMAX Consultants Mangaluru, Al Wahid Recruiter Dharwad, Buraq Consultancy Hubballi.
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EC dismisses scope for wrongdoing at strongrooms; prohibitory orders around Kolkata counting centres
Kolkata (PTI): A day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee spent hours at the EVM strongroom of her Bhabanipur constituency alleging possibilities of malpractices, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Agarwal on Friday asserted there is no scope for wrongdoing at the counting centres.
Following tensions around two counting centres in Kolkata late on Thursday, police clamped prohibitory orders on gatherings outside all seven strongrooms in the city.
Stating that round-the-clock CCTV monitoring of strongrooms was in place, Agarwal dismissed the allegations as "baseless".
TMC spokesperson and Beleghata constituency candidate Kunal Ghosh said that party workers and poll aspirants were keeping a strict vigil at the counting centres, where the EVMs are stored in strongrooms, upon directions of party supremo Mamata Banerjee.
"There is no scope for any wrongdoing given the arrangements made to secure the EVMs. The Centres have been kept under thorough CCTV coverage and their live-streamed footage can be seen from outside," Agarwal told reporters.
"One should have reason and evidence for making allegations," he said, maintaining that there were no grounds for levelling charges of EVM tampering or pre-counting malpractice.
Two counting centres in Kolkata witnessed high drama late on Thursday evening after TMC leaders alleged a lack of transparency and possible malpractice at the strongrooms housing sealed EVMs of the assembly polls, which concluded on April 29.
Mamata Banerjee herself landed up at the Sakhawat Memorial School counting centre and stayed put there for about four hours. She emerged from the premises past midnight and warned against any attempts to tamper with the counting process, demanding greater transparency.
TMC leaders and candidates Sashi Panja and Kunal Ghosh held a sit-in outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra counting centre on Thursday evening, alleging unauthorised activities inside the strongroom amid the absence of TMC agents.
Matters came to a head after a large number of supporters from both TMC and BJP camps gathered outside the venue, shouting slogans till they were dispersed by security forces.
The EC, however, dismissed the claim, clarifying that poll officials were engaged in the task of segregating postal ballots as per due process and the strongrooms remained secure, asserting all political parties for the mandatory segregation activity were duly notified.
On Friday, Kolkata Police imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS around all seven designated strong rooms in the city.
As per the order issued by Police Commissioner Ajay Nand, the restrictions prohibited the assembly of five or more persons within a 200-metre radius of each strongroom, along with a ban on processions, demonstrations, and carrying of weapons or explosive materials.
The measure, which aims to prevent any breach of peace, violence, or disturbance during the storage of ballot papers and polled EVMs, will remain in force until the commencement of counting on May 4.
Besides the two counting centres in question, the prohibitory orders were also clamped around the Hastings House complex, APC Polytechnic College, St. Thomas Boys' High School, Ballygunge Government High School and the David Hare Training College counting premises.
A senior police officer said enhanced security arrangements have been made at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra, the counting centre for several assembly seats in north and east Kolkata housing EVM strong rooms.
"Additional CAPFs and armed police forces have also been deployed under the supervision of an additional commissioner and a deputy commissioner of police," Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Kolkata, Rupesh Kumar, told reporters after visiting the area.
Expressing apprehension that unauthorised movements might occur when a section of postal ballots is brought in the evening, Kunal Ghosh said on Friday morning that the party's polling agents and candidates have been alerted about the matter.
Minister Shashi Panja, who also arrived at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra in the morning, maintained that "transparency" should be ensured for all strongroom activities.
Ghosh told reporters on Friday that though they had seen some movement in a strongroom that allegedly stored postal ballots, there was no such movement on Friday morning.
Meanwhile, Banerjee's challenger at Bhabanipur and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari took a dig at the chief minister for her late-night visit to the counting centre.
"I want to reassure the people of Bhabanipur and of West Bengal that the TMC candidate and outgoing chief minister was prevented from taking any additional advantage. Despite her best intentions to the contrary, she wasn't allowed to act in violation of rules," Adhikari wrote on social media platforms, posting a picture of Banerjee sitting at what appeared to be an area outside the counting centre strong room.
"Till such time she was present there, my election agent, advocate Surjyanil Das personally positioned himself at the spot keeping a tight watch on her so that she isn't able to take recourse to improper means," he added.
Security forces kept a strict vigil in and around counting centres and strongrooms in Kolkata and other districts where EVM machines used in the state assembly elections are stored, an official said.
Sakhawat Memorial School in south Kolkata's Bhabanipur, which saw high drama till the early hours of Friday with the chief minister spending several hours at the counting centre, wore a peaceful look in the morning with security personnel guarding the area.
