New Delhi: A Parliamentary committee on women empowerment has asked the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs to form a coordinated mechanism to regulate and address problems in NRI marriages.
The Committee on Empowerment of Women, headed by MP Krishna Tirath, has noted the absence of a coordinated mechanism among the various agencies dealing with the issue of NRI marriages like the Ministry of Overseas Affairs, the Ministry of External Affairs and the Women and Child Development Ministry.
The Government in its action taken reply, had stated that the suggestion would be discussed at an inter-ministerial committee likely to be convened soon with a view to evolving a possible coordinating mechanism.
In its report submitted in Parliament on Monday, the committee has also sought enactment of a suitable legislation for mandatory registration of all marriages, making the procedure simpler, affordable and accessible.
In this regard, the Government has stated that a proposal to enact a suitable legislation relating to compulsory registration of marriages is under active consideration in consultation with state governments.
The committee further recommended that the financial assistance to Indian women deserted or divorced by their overseas Indian spouses to obtain legal and counselling services through the Indian Missions abroad should be increased from USD 1,000 keeping in view the high legal costs involved in such cases in other countries.
The Committee also said the total amount earmarked under this scheme should be enhanced to Rs two crore.
It observed that though India has already become a signatory to the Hague convention dealing with civil procedures, it had not yet become a party to the conventions on marriage or divorce.
Asserting that in an earlier report it had recommended that the Ministry of External Affairs take up concrete steps to set up special cells in missions abroad, the Committee asked the Government to expedite the process.
"The committee has desired that these proposals be taken up for actual implementation without any delay and the committee mat be apprised of the progress," the report said.
