Government of India

Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs

 

RAJYA SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.380

To be answered on 24th February, 2011

 

Indian Community Welfare Fund

 

380.                 DR. K. P. RAMALINGAM:

 

Will the Minister of OVERSEAS INDIAN AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

 

(a)        whether Government has established the Indian Community Welfare Fund to help Indian employees who are in distress while working in foreign countries;

 

(b)        if so, the details thereof and the number of workers benefited under this scheme for the last three years; and

 

(c)        the details thereof?

 

ANSWER

 

MINISTER OF OVERSEAS INDIAN AFFAIRS

 

(SHRI VAYALAR RAVI)

 

(a)                    Yes, Sir.

 

(b) & (c)          ‘Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF)’ was set up in October, 2009 in the Indian Missions in 18 countries to provide on-site welfare for the Overseas Indian Citizens who are in distress. With effect from April, 2010, the scheme has since been extended to Indian Missions in another 24 countries taking the total number of countries covered to 42. The list of countries where this scheme is operationalized is given at Annexure I.  ICWF is aimed at providing the following services 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 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.

 

The scheme is funded through budgetary support from the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, funds raised by the Indian Missions by levying a service charge on consular services and through Voluntary contributions from the Indian community. The Fund is administered by the respective Heads of Missions.

 

As per the information available, the details of number of beneficiaries and the kind of assistance provided under the scheme as on November, 2010 is given at Annexure II.

 

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Annexure I

 

ANNEXURE ‘I’ REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (B) & (C) OF RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 380 FOR ANSWER ON 24.02.2011

REGARDING ‘INDIAN COMMUNITY WELFARE FUND’

 

LIST OF COUNTRIES WHERE ICWF OPERATIONLISED 

 

1.      UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE)

2.      THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA (KSA)

3.      QATAR

4.      OMAN

5.      KUWAIT

6.      BAHRAIN

7.      MALAYSIA

8.      LIBYA

9.      JORDAN

10.  YEMEN

11.  SUDAN

12.  AFGHANISTAN

13.  INDONESIA

14.  SYRIA

15.  LEBANON

16.  THAILAND

17.  IRAQ

18.  MALDIVES

19. Australia

20. Canada

21. Mauritius

22. Singapore

23. South Africa

24. Trinidad & Tobago

25. UK

26. USA

27. Fiji

28. Reunion Island

29. Guadeloupe/ St. Martinique

30. France

31. Germany

32. Guyana

33. Israel

34. Italy

35. Jamaica

36. Kenya

37. Netherlands

38. New Zealand

39. Philippines

40. Portugal

41. Suriname

42. Tanzania

 

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Annexure II

 

ANNEXURE ‘II’ REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (B) & (C) OF RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 380 FOR ANSWER ON 24.02.2011 REGARDING ‘INDIAN COMMUNITY WELFARE FUND’

 

I.          DETAILS OF ASSISTANCE PROVIDED UNDER THE INDIAN COMMUNITY WELFARE FUND (ICWF)

 

Sl. No.

Name of Mission

Kind of assistance provided

No. of Beneficiaries (Year wise)

 

2008-09

2009-10

2010-11

1

LIBYA

Ration and other grocery items of basic necessities including medicines

Nil

Nil

750

2

SYRIA

As no case necessitating assistance under ICWF has come been referred to the Mission, no assistance has been provided under ICWF since inception.

 

 

 

3

OMAN

Legal assistance, Financial assistance from the Mission’s Labour Welfare Fund to the needy and deserving Indian nationals, Shelter homes etc.

282

522

460

4

IRAQ

There has been no assistance provided under the ICWF scheme. The amount of expenditure over the last year and since its inception may please be treated as NIL

5

LEBANON

No monetary assistance has been rendered so far under the ICWF since its inception. However, the Mission maintains regular contact with various Indian community associations for addressing their problems and providing appropriate assistance. Whenever Indian nationals approach the Mission or contact the Consular Section, all necessary assistance is provided.

6

MALAYSIA

 

Mission provides assistance after ascertaining the issues of each individual, case by case.

NIL

3

232

- 2 -

7

UAE

Legal Assistance, Food allowance, Immigration charges for repatriation, air ticket etc.

268

483

905

8

KSA

Expenses on medical treatment of housemaids, food at shelter for housemaids, air-ticket to housemaids and other destitute Indians, transportation of mortal remains of deceased Indians to India and misc. expenses on hiring of taxies etc. for providing various services to Indians

NIL

174

449

9

YEMEN

Legal assistance

NIL

3

8

10

INDONESIA

 

Nil

Nil

Nil

11

BAHRAIN

Provided air ticket for one way; Cost of embalming, coffin and transportation of body; Food/ Provisions; Medical equipment / transportation to India as stretcher patient; Provided to Jail inmates and taken photographs of stranded employees; Provided payment of visa cancellation charges for stranded workers

Nil

198

245

12

KUWAIT

Air-tickets provided to destitute Indian nationals; Financial Assistance for food, medicines, etc. to destitute Indian nationals & towards incidentals to those repatriated / deported and those in Jails.

656

760

2315

13

AFGHANISTAN

As far as Mission is concerned, reply may be treated as NIL

14

SUDAN

As no case necessitating assistance under ICWF has been referred to the Mission, no assistance has been provided under ICWF since inception.

- 3 -

15

THAILAND

No assistance has been rendered so far from the ICWF by the Mission. However we do have an isolated case of two destitute Indian girls for which the matter has already been referred to MOIA vide the same letter. However, girls have informed us that they are not willing to return to India but desire to take up job in Thailand. Thus, the Mission has not utilized the ICWF till now.

16

QATAR

The Mission has set up an Indian Citizens’ Welfare Fund (ICWF) in Qatar on 18.9.2005 and this has been a source of great help to the needy Indian nationals. The Fund levies charges on the consular service seekers as per approved Government norms. The expenditure under the Fund is also incurred as per norms and with the approval of HOM, which includes cash assistance, supply of items of daily use, food, clothes, travel assistance, medical assistance, etc in deserving cases.

17

JORDAN

Provided Legal / Financial Assistance to destitute Indian workers / stranded Indian emigrants, transportation of mortal remains to India.

NIL

7

11

 

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