Critical Analysis Of The Emigration Bill, 2021

India has the largest number of emigrant population in the world recorded at a staggering eighteen million. Moreover, Clause 31 states that contravention with any of the provisions of the Bill will also impose liability of the emigrant to penalty up to fifty thousand rupees. This is despite the fact that Chapter VII of the Bill seeks to address the welfare of Indian migrants through establishing a labour and welfare wing to deal with issues related to Indian emigrants.Additionally under Clause 27 of the Bill an emigrants' welfare society is to be established which will seek to provide legal services, create a digital record of all emigrants, provide emigrants with training and skill up gradation etc.The government has come up with the unique concept of "Sahayata Kendras" wherein the Indian Mission may also establish 'Sahayata Kendras' to address the various issues concerning Indian emigrants and provide services such as free help line, providing counselling services etc. The increasing number of Indian women emigrants, especially in the healthcare sector necessitates to have special provisions for protecting women migrants in destination countries. The preamble of the Bill needs to be more progressive and can take cue from the Migrant workers and Overseas Filipino's Act which states that "fundamental human rights and freedoms" of the Filipino emigrants are sacrosanct and inviolable.