DIASPORA

917 Indian Women working abroad have benefitted from Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF)

917 Indian women working abroad, who were in distress, have benefitted from Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) in the year 2013 and till January 2014. Giving this information in answer to a question in Lok Sabha today, the Minister for Overseas Indian affairs Sh. Vayalar Ravi Said for on-site welfare of emigrants in distress, Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) has been established in all the Indian Missions. The assistance provided includes short-term boarding and lodging, medical care, providing air passage where essential, providing initial legal assistance in deserving cases, payment of penalties in respect of Indian Nationals for illegal stay in the host country where prima facie the worker is not at fault and providing the payment of small fine/penalties for the release of Indian Nationals in jail/detention centre. The Minister said, an Indian Workers Resource Centre (IWRC) has been established at Dubai, UAE as a one stop service outlet for addressing the information and assistance needs of emigrants and other missions also have helpline/helpdesk to attend to grievances of the Indian Nationals. The Minister added that Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs maintains records of Emigration Check Required (ECR) passport holders going to ECR countries for employment.  Indian Diaspora Have Remitted 189.3 Billion US Dollars in Last Three Years Indian diaspora employed and settled in various countries abroad have remitted to the country an amount of 189.3 billion U.S dollars from 2010-11 to 2012-13. Answering a question in Lok Sabha today Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Sh Vayalar Ravi said highest amount of 69.822 billion U.S. dollars have been remitted from Gulf countries followed by North America with 65.023 billion U.S. dollars and European countries with 23.132 billion U.S. dollars. The Minister said, approximately 25 million Indian diaspora are employed and settled in various countries abroad. He added that 6,26,565 persons were granted emigration clearances in 2011 7,47,041 persons in 2012 and 8,16,655 persons in 2013 .