The proposals of Ministry of External Affairs for 9 One Stop Centres (OSCs) for Indian women facing distress abroad have been approved by the Empowered Committee of Ministry of Women and Child Development. They include 7 OSCs with provision of shelter homes in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia (Jeddah & Riyadh) and 2 OSCs without shelter homes in Toronto and Singapore. Ministry of External Affairs has now opened a Budget line for the aforesaid 9 Missions.

Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) has been set up in all Indian Missions and Posts abroad to meet the contingency expenditure incurred by them for carrying out various on site welfare activities for Overseas Indian citizens on a means-tested basis. The ICWF guidelines have been comprehensively revised w.e.f. September 1, 2017. The revised guidelines have considerably expanded the scope of on-site welfare activities for the benefit of distressed Indian nationals particularly women that could be extended through the Fund. The guidelines cover three key areas namely Assisting Overseas Indian nationals in distress situations (Boarding and Lodging, Air passage, Legal Assistance, Emergency Medical Care. Transportation of Mortal Remains), Community Welfare activities and improvement in Consular services. They now also include provisions for setting up of legal panels in countries with sizeable Indian diaspora, payment of fines/penalty for petty crimes for release of prisoners and assistance to distressed Indian women abroad. Assistance under ICWF is also provided to needy Indian women in distress who have been deserted by their overseas Indian/ foreigner husbands to secure counselling and legal services.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Women and Child Development Smt. Savitri Thakur in Lok Sabha in reply to a question today.

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SS/MS