A group of Indian organisations in Saudi Arabia have asked India to enhance services offered by the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) through the missions in Riyadh and Jeddah.
The Federation of Kerala Associations in Saudi Arabia (FOKASA) and the Pravasi Legal Aid Cell submitted a petition in this regard to visiting Minister of Overseas Affairs Vayalar Ravi, the Arab News said.
They also presented the Right to Information (RTI) reports about the collection and disbursement of the ICWF from both missions along with the comptroller and auditor general's report.
According to FOKASA President R Muraleedharan, only 41 per cent of the fund has been utilised for the welfare of distressed Indian expatriates.
ICWF's primary aim is to provide food and shelter to distressed overseas Indian workers in domestic sector and unskilled laborers, extend emergency medical care to those in need, provide air passage to stranded overseas Indians, provide initial legal assistance to deserving cases and bear the expenditure on airlifting the mortal remains to India or local cremation/burial of the deceased Indians.
