Several measures has been taken by the Government to create awareness regarding overseas marriages.The  Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs has launched an awareness-cum-publicity campaign to educate and sensitize prospective brides and their families with regard to problems arising out of marriages with overseas Indians and how due diligence can be exercised before entering into marital alliance with overseas Indians. Steps taken in this regard include:

1.     Information Pamphlets: The Ministry has brought out Information Pamphlets in English, Hindi, Punjabi, Malayalam and Telugu to make Indian women aware of their rights and responsibilities and the precautions that could be exercised before entering into marital alliance with overseas Indians. These pamphlets have been sent to the State Governments for distribution through Village Panchayats, Anganwadis, Railway Stations, Airports, Hospitals /Dispensaries, NGOs/Self Help Groups etc.

2.     Guidance Booklet on NRI Marriages: The Ministry has brought out a Guidance Booklet on “Marriages to Overseas Indians” for the benefit of prospective brides and their families. The Guidance Booklet was released by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on the eve of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD), 2007. This booklet contains information on safeguards available to women deserted by their NRI spouses, legal remedies available, authorities that can be approached for redressal of grievances and non-governmental organizations which can provide assistance. The Guidance Booklet has been sent to all States/UTs and the Indian Missions in the countries having high concentration of Indian Diaspora for wide dissemination of information among the groups concerned.

3.     Awareness-cum-Publicity campaign through the Media: Every year the Ministry launches an awareness-cum-publicity campaign through the print and electronic media, advertisements on national and regional T.V. networks, newspapers and magazines to sensitize people on this issue.

4.     Seminars and Workshops: A National Consultation on “Marriages to Overseas Indians” was organized by the Ministry in February 2006 following which the Ministry, in collaboration with National Commission for Women organized two Regional Workshops in Chandigarh and Trivandrum in 2006 with the objective of involving the State Commissions for Women as well as women’s organizations in the states concerned to spread awareness. Apart from this, in the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD), parallel sessions have been organized where problems relating to overseas Indian marriages have been discussed. NGOs, Women’s organizations and State Government representatives have participated in these sessions.

     In response to a suggestion of the Hon’ble Standing Committee on External Affairs to organize seminars/debates on fraudulent NRI marriages in Schools and Colleges for sensitizing girl students, the State Governments of Kerala, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Goa, UP and Delhi were requested to organize such seminars/debates. Based on this, Punjab Police organized a National Seminar on Overseas Marriages in Jalandhar on 30.5.2012 in collaboration with National Commission for Women.  Special focus in the Seminar was on legal safeguards and institutional mechanism required to be created for ensuring justice to affected women.

5. Website of MOIA: Details in this regard have also been put on MOIA’s    website http://moia.gov.in under Diaspora Services Division, Gender issues.

Following seminars were organised in the country regarding overseas marriages:

This information was given by the Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs, Shri Vayalar Ravi in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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PKM/DB