Swaraj said her Ministry has been receiving petitions from Indian women stating that their non-resident Indian spouse has hidden the fact that he is already married or has a partner.
She said such complaints pertain to abandonment of the Indian women either in India or in the foreign country by the NRI spouse after the marriage.
Since the NRI spouse resides outside India, following legal and other constraints are faced while addressing this complex issue, she said.
"Our government has given highest priority to provide help and assistance to distressed Indians abroad, irrespective of their castes, creed and religion," she said in reply to a supplementary related to community-wise break-up of distressed Indians.
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The Minister said since the launch of her Ministry's grievance redressal portal 'MADAD' on February 2015, as many as 246 grievances under "marital dispute" category have been received of which 172 have been addressed.
Swaraj said under a special scheme launched by the
The amount provided enables them to initiate legal proceedings against the spouse, avail counselling and for sustenance, she said.
The External Affairs Ministry is providing information about legal options available to the Indian women; procedures to be followed for serving of judicial summons on the NRI husband; and lawyers and NGOs in foreign countries who can assist the petitioners. This information has been posted on the Ministry's website.
Swaraj said Ministry of Women and Child Development has recently set up an Inter-Ministerial Committee which will submit recommendations about the legal and procedural hurdles faced by Indian women married to NRIs.