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INDIAN COMMUNITY WELFARE FUND
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The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) has established the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) in 43 Indian missions across the world, in countries that have a significant overseas Indian population. The ICWF aims to provide ‘on site’ welfare services on a means tested basis in the most deserving cases including:
• Boarding and lodging for distressed overseas Indian workers in Household / domestic sectors and unskilled labourers.
• Extending emergency medical care to the overseas Indians in need.
• Providing air passage to stranded overseas Indians in need.
• Providing initial legal assistance to the overseas Indians in deserving cases.
• Expenditure on incidentals and for airlifting the mortal remains to India or local cremation/burial of the deceased overseas Indian in such cases where a sponsor is unable or unwilling to do so as per the contract and the family is unable to meet the cost.
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“The ICWF would be funded through budgetary support from the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, funds raised by the Indian Missions by levying a nominal service charge on consular services and through voluntary contributions from the Indian
community”
—Mr. Vayalar Ravi
Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs
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Overseas Indian workers duped by unscrupulous intermediaries in the host countries, runaway house maids, those who become victim of accidents, deserted spouses of overseas Indians or undocumented overseas Indian workers in need of emergency assistance or any other overseas Indian citizens who are in distress would be the main beneficiaries of the Fund.
The Fund will also be utilized to meet the expenditure for airlifting the mortal remains of overseas Indian citizens to India on a means tested basis, on the recommendation of respective Heads of Missions.
According to Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs, Mr Vayalar Ravi, the ICWF would be funded through budgetary support from the MOIA, funds raised by the Indian Missions by levying a nominal service charge on consular services and through voluntary contributions from the Indian community.
Currently the Fund is administered by the Heads Missions in the following countries to provide various on-site welfare services to the Indian citizens who are in dire distress:
UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Malaysia, Libya, Jordan, Yemen, Sudan, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Syria, Lebanon, Thailand, Iraq and Maldives, Australia, Canada, Mauritius, Singapore, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, UK and USA, Fiji, Reunion Island, Guadeloupe/St. Martinique, France, Germany, Guyana, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, Portugal, Suriname, Tanzania and Egypt.
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November 2011
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