NDIAN COMMUNITY WELFARE FUND (ICWF)

The High Commission of India, Ottawa, with the approval of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, has established the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) with effect from September 2012.

OBJECTIVES OF THE SCHEME:

The Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) is aimed at providing the following services on a means tested basis in the most deserving cases:

1. Boarding and lodging for distressed Overseas Indian workers in household/domestic sectors and unskilled labourers;
2. Extending emergency medical care to the Overseas Indians in need;
3. Providing air passage to stranded Overseas Indians in need;
4. Providing initial legal assistance to the Overseas Indians in deserving cases;
5. Expenditure on incidentals and for airlifting the mortal remains to India or local cremation/burial of the deceased Overseas Indians in such cases where the sponsor is unable or unwilling to do so as per the contract and the family is unable to meet the cost;
6. Providing the payment of penalties in respect of Indian nationals for illegal stay in the host country where prima facie the worker is not at fault ;
7. Providing the payment of small fines/penalties for the release of Indian nationals in jail/detention centers;
8. Providing support to local Overseas Indian Associations to establish Overseas Indian Community Centers in countries that have population of Overseas Indians exceeding 1,00,000; and
9. Providing support to start and run Overseas Indian Community-based student welfare centers in countries that have presence of more than 20,000 Indian students.

SOURCE OF FUNDING:

A. Service charge on consular services:

A compulsory service charge of CAD 2/- will be levied for Passport, Visa, OCI, PIO cards, attestation of documents, and other miscellaneous consular services rendered by the Mission.

B. Voluntary contributions by Indian community:

Indian community members may like to contribute towards the Fund for which a proper receipt giving name and address of the contributor will be issued by the Mission.