ICWF spent INR 137 crore to assist Indians abroad in 2020

Indian Community Welfare Fund’s assistance in 2021, however, dipped to INR 24 crore

PRAVASISAMEAD.COM

According to an RTI document cited by the Times of India (TOI), the government spent INR 137 crore to assist Indians abroad in 2020. The amount, however, got reduced to INR 24 crore in 2021. The relief measures were extended mainly to those who suffered due to Covid-19 pandemic.

“This drastic drop in assistance from the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF), which was established to help Indians overseas in times of distress, is attributed by government sources partly to disruption in consular services and fewer applications for help because of the deadly Covid-19 second wave last year in India,” the report said.

“The drastic cut in assistance in 2021 was partly due to disruption in consular services and fewer applications for help because of the deadly Covid-19 second wave last year in India. Another reason for this, according to official sources, could be that the earnings in 2021 from consular services offered, which contribute to the ICWF, too dropped because of the situation created by the pandemic last year. Indian missions charge a specific fee from NRIs in exchange of services offered to fund the ICWF,” the TOI report said.

The query, according to TOI, was raised by Kerala based RTI campaigner K Govindan Nampoothiry and response delivered by the India’s foreign ministry.

Why so drastic cut in Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) assistance in 2021?

“Partly due to disruption in consular services and fewer applications for help because of the deadly Covid-19 second wave last year in India. Another reason for this, according to official sources, could be that the earnings in 2021 from consular services offered, which contribute to the ICWF, too dropped because of the situation created by the pandemic last year. Indian missions charge a specific fee from NRIs in exchange of services offered to fund the ICWF,” the report said.

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