From correspondents in Delhi, India, 07:01 PM IST

The state governments were not doing enough to prosecute unscrupulous recruiting agents who exploit Indian workers trying to go abroad, Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi said here Tuesday.

'We have referred so many cases to state authorities to take action, but there has not been a single conviction so far,' Ravi said at the inauguration of the first two-day consultation meeting with the state governments.

The minister expressed his concern at the 'poor enforcement of the Emigration Act and mushrooming of recruiting agents'.

He urged state officials to at least track the advertisements for overseas jobs in newspapers and the Internet, so that there could be is adequate monitoring of the process of immigration.

He pointed out that the draft amendments to the Emigration Act were 'finalised'.

'This will provide for stringent action against human trafficking,' said Ravi, adding that it will target 'unscrupulous middlemen'.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)