382 passports revoked, impounded since 2015 for desertion of Indian women married to NRIs: Govt

The External Affairs Ministry said a total expenditure of around Rs 63.71 lakh has been incurred so far as assistance to 175 Indian women deserted by their foreign spouses

Photo for representation. iStock

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 4

The government on Thursday told Parliament that 382 passports have been revoked since 2015 for deserting Indian women married to NRIs, of which 216 women, so far, had sought legal and financial assistance under the scheme run to help them.

Answering a question raised on the issue by Congress MP Partap Singh Bajwa, the External Affairs Ministry said the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) was set up in all Indian Missions and Posts abroad to assist Indian nationals in times of distress overseas, and the ICWF guidelines, revised in September 2017, included the provision for financial assistance to the needy Indian women in distress — including those who had been deserted by their overseas Indian or foreigner spouse — for counseling and legal services.

“Counseling and legal services will be provided through the Indian Women’s Organisations, the Indian Community Associations and NGOs identified for providing such services and empanelled with the Indian Missions,” said the government.

The minister said since 2015, over 216 requests for legal and financial assistance had been received.

“A total expenditure of around Rs 63.71 lakh has been incurred so far as assistance to 175 women. Since 2015, a total of 382 passports were revoked or impounded by the Regional Passport Offices in India and the Indian Missions and Posts abroad, in such cases,” the government said.

Bajwa also asked how many Indian women married to overseas Indians had requested assistance under the scheme since 2015; the number of Indian women who received financial assistance under the scheme; the expenditure the Ministry had incurred for providing such assistance; and whether any passports were revoked or impounded in such cases.

The government said prior to September 2017, the Ministry’s scheme for providing legal and financial assistance to Indian women deserted by their NRI spouses, was in operation in 13 countries.

“The scheme was revised in 2017 and was extended to all Missions,” said the government.