Chandigarh, March 26 – Haryana Chief Minister Sh Nayab Singh Saini said that the state government has taken stringent action against travel agents involved in sending youth abroad through illegal means. A total of 127 cases have been registered, and action has been taken against 102 agents, with eight travel agents arrested.
The Chief Minister was speaking during the discussion on the Haryana Travel Agents Registration and Regulation Bill 2025, presented during the ongoing budget session in the Assembly here today.
He said that the bill aims to protect the youth from exploitation, ensuring transparency, accountability of travel agents, and the investigation and curb of illegal activities.
The Chief Minister added that while he is unsure of the opposition’s stance on the bill, the state government’s intention is clear that stringent action will be taken against travel agents who facilitate illegal migration.
He further informed that the bill, which concerns the youth, had been introduced in the House earlier. However, after the introduction of three new criminal laws, some sections were revised. This bill is now being reintroduced with strengthened provisions to safeguard the youth from exploitation. He highlighted that many youth used to sell their land to go abroad and they were sent abroad in an unsafe manner. Once the bill becomes law, the government becomes successful in curbing all such illegal practices.
The Chief Minister also informed the House that the bill includes provisions to combat human trafficking, with penalties of 7 to 10 years of imprisonment for those found guilty.
He said that the state government has established a Foreign Cooperation Department to manage the process of sending youth abroad for business, education, or employment. The primary goal of this bill is to ensure that all travel agents are registered, and that they operate under the new legal framework and the government can also have accurate information.
Sh Nayab Singh Saini said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Sh Narendra Modi, the Central Government successfully brought back 23,000 youth stranded in Ukraine during their MBBS studies.
