New Delhi: Even two years after the Delhi High Court issued an order to make registration of private placement agencies providing domestic workers compulsory, the Delhi Private Placement Agency (Regulation) Bill, 2012, has not seen the light of day.
The draft of the bill stated that no person or private placement agencies shall carry on or commence the business of private placement agency, unless he (/it) holds a licence issued under this Act.
In absence of any such law, Delhi is turning into a hotbed of crime against domestic helps. Minors are being brought from other states and engaged in domestic work against norms. Even some illegal agents bring the girls and women by luring them with jobs and trade them for money.
Satya Prakash, programme manager, FXB Suraksha Childline, said, “The placement agencies operating in Delhi have the licence to provide security guards to offices, but that is just a front operation. Behind the scene, they provide domestic helps to people. People, who are looking for helpers are so desperate that they overlook many things and go ahead with the deal. On papers, the girl is shown 18 years or above, but many times these girls happen to be minors.”
In 2016, the Ministry of Woman and Child Development had formed a new draft of the Anti-Trafficking Bill. It was decided by the government that the Anti-Trafficking Bill will address the issues covered under the Delhi Private Placement Agency (Regulation) Bill. Government was planning to introduce the bill in the recent winter session, but it couldn’t be done due to demonetisation.
“A lot of stakeholders are involved in getting the bill passed. We are reaching out to them in building a consensus on the matter. The Delhi High Court is also monitoring the matter. The point of minimum wages to domestic helps will also be discussed. We hope the bill will be passed soon,” said a top ranking official in the Delhi labour department.