The Government of India has established an Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) Scheme in the Indian Missions to provide assistance to Overseas Indians in distress. The Scheme is aimed at providing the following services, within prescribed ceilings, on a means tested basis in the most deserving cases:
(i) Boarding and lodging for distressed Overseas Indian workers in household/ domestic sectors and unskilled labourers;
(ii) Extending emergency medical care to the Overseas Indians in need;
(iii) Providing air passage to stranded Overseas Indians in need;
(iv) Providing initial legal assistance to the Overseas Indians in deserving cases;
(v) Expenditure on incidentals and for airlifting the mortal remains to India or local cremation/burial of the deceased Overseas Indians in such cases
where the sponsor is unable or unwilling to do so as per the contract and the family is unable to meet the cost;
(vi) Providing the payment of penalties in respect of Indian nationals for illegal stay in the host country where prima facie the worker is not at fault;
(vii) Providing the payment of small fines/penalties for the release of Indian nationals in jail/detention centre;
(viii) Providing support to local Overseas Indian Associations to establish Overseas Indian Community Centres in countries that have population of Overseas Indians exceeding 1,00,000;
(ix) Providing support to start and run Overseas Indian Community based student welfare centres in Countries that have more than 20,000Indian students’presence; and
(x) Any other most deserving case, not indicated above, with prior approval of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.
2. The target beneficiaries of the Scheme are 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 the respective Heads of Missions. It is also meant for release of overseas Indian nationals from detention centres as well as serve as support to overseas Indian community centres and student welfare centres.
3. The Associations/members of Indian community are welcome to make voluntary contributions to the ICWF Fund maintained by the Mission.
4. A request for assistance under the Scheme may be made to either(i) Mr. Manga Ram, SS(PPS), EOI, Nur-Sultan [Tel: + 7 7172 925 712, Mobile: + 7 701 220 7561, email: cons[dot]astana[at]mea[dot]gov[dot]in ]or (ii) Mr. Martin Cyriac Clemense J.B., SS(Cons), ROI, Almaty[Tel: + +7 727 278 44 96, Mobile: + 7 701 220 7608, email: cons.almaty[at]mea[dot]gov[dot]in].
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