THE PRIEST

Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs has entered into Bilateral Labour Agreements with UAE, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan and Malaysia. Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs has taken several initiatives for safeguarding the welfare and protection of Indian workers going abroad. These include the following: (i) Establishment of Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) in the Indian Missions to provide immediate relief to the Indian workers in need and distress. (ii) Overseas Workers Resource Centre (OWRC) at New Delhi. This centre has 24x7 helpline and walk-in counseling centre to provide information and to handle workers problems. This centre uses 8 Indian languages and has a toll free number. (iii) Bilateral Social Security Agreements (SSA) for protection of the interests of Indian professionals going abroad. (iv) Indian Workers Resource Centre (IWRC) at Dubai for providing information to the Indian workers and to handle their problems. source : www.pib.nic.in

Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs has set up the ‘Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF)’, which is operationalised in the Indian Missions in all the Countries with effect from 24.03.2011 for safeguarding the welfare and protection especially of Indian workers going abroad. The fund aims to provide on-site emergency assistance for the Overseas Indian Citizens, who are in distress. The welfare services provided by the ICWF includes 1) Boarding and lodging for distressed household / domestic workers and unskilled labourers, 2) Emergency medical care to the overseas Indians in need, providing air passage to stranded overseas Indians in distress, 3) Providing initial legal assistance to the overseas Indians in deserving cases and 4)  incurring expenditure on incidentals and for airlifting the mortal remains to India or local cremation/burial of the deceased overseas Indians in cases where a sponsor is unable or unwilling to do so as per the contract and the family is unable t...