Indian Missions to have Indian Community Welfare Fund

New Delhi, Aug 20 (ANI): The Union Cabinet today approved setting up the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) in the Indian Missions in 17 countries to meet contingency expenditure incurred by the them for carrying out various onsite welfare activities for overseas Indian citizens who are in distress.

The proposed ICWF is aimed at providing several services. They are 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; and providing initial legal assistance to the overseas Indians in deserving cases.

Other objective is 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.

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 utilised to meet the expenditure for airlifting the mortal remains of overseas Indian citizens to India on the recommendation of the respective Heads of Missions. ANI)