The ‘Indian Community Welfare Fund’ (ICWF) meets contingent expenditure for Overseas Indian Citizens who are in distress. The ICWF is used for providing relief such as: boarding and lodging for distressed Overseas Indian workers; emergency medical care; providing initial legal assistance in deserving cases; airlifting the mortal remains to India, or meeting expenses of local cremation/burial of deceased Overseas Indians, in cases where the sponsor is unable or unwilling to do so as per the contract and the family is unable to meet the cost; payment of small fines/ penalties for the release of Indian nationals in jail/ detention centre; 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, etc. Besides, legal assistance is provided to needy Indian women in distress, who have been deserted by their overseas Indian/foreigner husbands. Over Rs.37 Crore has been spent to benefit over 28,000 Overseas Indians so far.
This information was given by the Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs, Shri Vayalar Ravi in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on 1.3.13
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