Executive Summary:
This document is the Indian Ministry of External Affairs' response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2186 regarding the MADAD portal. It provides data on grievances registered and resolved in 2024, details assistance to Indian nationals abroad, and outlines steps to increase MADAD portal accessibility among migrant workers. The response addresses complaints from tourists, students, migrant workers, and others lodged with Indian Embassies/High Commissions.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Grievance Statistics (2024):**
* MADAD Portal: 5704 grievances received, 5467 resolved, 237 pending.
* CPGRAMS Portal: 2603 grievances received, 2503 resolved, 100 pending.
* **Assistance to Indian Nationals Abroad:**
* The Government prioritizes the safety and wellbeing of Indians abroad, including those in foreign jails.
* Indian Missions/Posts monitor incidents of discrimination or detention of Indian nationals.
* Missions/Posts provide consular access, ascertain facts, confirm nationality, and ensure welfare.
* Assistance includes legal aid and maintaining panels of lawyers in areas with sizeable Indian communities.
* The Government pursues issues during consular consultations and high-level visits, including amnesty and commutation of sentences.
* **Emergency Helpline Support:**
* Indian Embassies/Consulates ensure prompt attention to grievances through emergency helplines.
* Helplines operate 24/7 to address urgent situations (medical, legal, repatriation).
* Updated contact information, including emergency numbers, is available on official websites.
* **MADAD Portal Accessibility for Migrant Workers:**
* Missions/Posts interact with Indian citizens, including migrant workers, to encourage MADAD portal registration.
* Promotion of MADAD App through official channels (MEA website, Mission announcements).
* Regular advisories from Missions/Posts encourage online registration to facilitate assistance.
* Leveraging social media (Twitter - MEAIndia, MeaMadad), email (madadmea.gov.in), and a 24x7 Helpline (1800113090) to respond to distress calls and promote MADAD.
* Publicizing assistance to workers in Gulf countries to demonstrate the portal's utility.
* Linking Indian Workers Resource Centres (IWRCs) to the MADAD ecosystem.
* Spreading awareness through events like Pravasi Bharatiya Divas and diaspora engagement programs.
Impact Analysis:
* **Indian Tourists, Students, and Migrant Workers Abroad:**
* Impact: Enhanced access to grievance redressal mechanisms and consular assistance in cases of detention, discrimination, and emergencies.
* Action Required: Register on the MADAD portal and utilize emergency helplines when needed.
* **Indian Embassies and High Commissions:**
* Impact: Increased responsibility for monitoring the safety and wellbeing of Indian nationals, providing consular assistance, and promoting the MADAD portal.
* Action Required: Maintain updated contact information, promptly address grievances, and actively promote MADAD portal registration.
* **Ministry of External Affairs:**
* Impact: Responsible for overseeing the MADAD portal, coordinating assistance efforts, and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of Indian nationals abroad.
* Action Required: Continue to improve the accessibility of the MADAD portal, monitor grievance statistics, and engage with foreign governments regarding the treatment of Indian nationals.
Key Entities Referenced
MADAD Portal: A portal used by the Ministry of External Affairs for grievance registration and resolution for Indian citizens abroad.
Ministry of External Affairs: The Indian government ministry responsible for India's foreign relations.
CPGRAMS Portal: A portal for registering and resolving grievances, mentioned alongside the MADAD portal.
Indian EmbassiesHigh Commissions: Indian diplomatic missions abroad providing assistance to Indian nationals.
SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH: The Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs.
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas: A day celebrated to connect India to its diaspora; used as a platform to spread awareness about initiatives like MADAD.
Riyadh: Capital of Saudi Arabia, location of Indian Workers Resource Centres (IWRCs).
Jeddah: A city in Saudi Arabia, location of Indian Workers Resource Centres (IWRCs).
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 2186
ANSWERED ON – 01/08/2025
MADAD PORTAL
2186. SMT. VIJAYLAKSHMI DEVI
SMT. KAMLESH JANGDE
SHRI CHHATRAPAL SINGH GANGWAR
SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) the number of complaints lodged by tourists, students, migrant
workers and others with Indian Embassies/High Commissions;
(b) whether Indian Embassies/High Commissions have provided
assistance to Indian nationals in cases relating to illegal detention
and discriminations, if so, the details thereof;
(c) the number of calls received on emergency helpline numbers of
various Embassies/Consulates and the details of the assistance
provided; and
1(d) the details of the steps taken by the Government to increase the
accessibility of 'MADAD' portal among migrant workers?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a) Details of grievances registered and resolved on Madad and
CPGRAMS Portals during the year 2024 are given below:
MADAD Portal
Grievances Grievance Disposal
Year Received Resolved Pending %
2024 5704 5467 237 96
CPGRAMS Portal
Grievances Grievance Disposal
Year Received Resolved Pending %
2024 2603 2503 100 96
2(b) The Government of India attaches the highest priority to the
safety, security and well-being of Indians in foreign countries,
including those in the foreign jails. Indian Missions / Posts remain
vigilant and closely monitor the incidents of Indian nationals being
discriminated or put in jail in foreign countries for violation/ alleged
violation of local laws.
As soon as the information about the discrimination/detention
of an Indian national is received by an Indian Mission/Post, it
immediately gets in touch with the local Foreign Office and other
concerned local authorities to get consular access to the aggrieved
Indian national to ascertain the facts of the case, confirm his Indian
nationality and ensure his welfare. Apart from extending them all
possible consular assistance, Indian Missions and Posts also assist
in providing legal aid wherever needed. Missions and Posts also
maintain a local panel of lawyers where Indian community is in
sizeable numbers.
These issues of Indian nationals are regularly pursued by
Indian Missions and Posts abroad with the local authorities
concerned. The Government also follows up this issue during
consular and other consultations with other countries. In addition,
the Government of India, through its Missions/Posts abroad and
3during high-level visits, also takes up and pursues grant of
amnesty/commutation of sentences of Indian prisoners in foreign
countries.
(c) The Indian Embassies and Consulates worldwide ensure
prompt attention to grievances or complaints received through their
emergency helplines, prioritizing the safety and well-being of Indian
citizens abroad. While specific data on the number of calls or the
nature of assistance provided is not publicly available, these
helplines are operational 24/7 to address urgent situations, such as
medical emergencies, legal issues, or repatriation needs. Each
Mission/Post maintains updated contact information, including
emergency numbers, on their official websites for easy access.
Indian citizens are encouraged to reach out to the respective
Embassy or Consulate in case of any distress, ensuring timely
consular support and guidance.
(d) The Ministry through its Missions/Posts abroad have been
regularly interacting with Indian citizens including migrant workers
to register details on MADAD Portal and also encouraging the Indian
4migrant organizations and Indian community associations for the
same through social media platforms.
The Ministry is also supporting the promotion by publicizing
MADAD App through official channels like the MEA website and
Mission announcements, aimed to reach Indian migrant workers to
encourage its adoption. Release of regular advisories from Indian
Missions/Posts for Indian citizens including migrant workers
encouraging online registration on Madad to facilitate assistance,
thereby targeting a key demographic directly.
MEA has also leveraged social networking platform such as
Twitter (@MEAIndia, @MeaMadad), Electronic mode of
communication such as Email (madad@mea.gov.in), 24x7 Helpline
(1800-11-3090) to respond to distress calls and promote Madad.
Assistance to workers in Gulf countries, have been publicized to
demonstrate the portal’s utility, indirectly raising awareness among
migrant communities who follow these channels or hear about them
through word of mouth. As noted in MEA reports from 2016, linking
of Indian Workers Resource Centres (IWRCs) in cities like Riyadh and
Jeddah, established to support distressed workers, to Madad’s
ecosystem serve as physical touchpoints where staff likely inform
workers about the portal during counseling or aid sessions. Through
5hosting of events like Pravasi Bharatiya Divas or programmes like
diaspora engagements, MEA is spreading awareness dedicated to
Madad awareness among migrant Indian workers. These high-
visibility platforms are some of the efforts in reaching migrant
workers in host countries, reinforcing the portal’s role.
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