Overseas Indian Centres Abroad
Three overseas Indian centres have been set up at Washington, Abu Dhabi and Kuala Lumpur as field organisations of the Ministry in those countries. The centre will have jurisdictions in all matters related to overseas Indians living and working in that country.
The centres are headed by a Director level officer along with supporting staff. The staff has already been sanctioned for three centres.
Besides strengthening the grievance redressal mechanisms for overseas Indians, the Centre will make necessary institutional arrangements to deliver a host of services to Overseas Indians in economic, social and cultural matters, directly, through outsourcing
or through appropriate public-private partnerships.
Washington
The Centre in Washington will discharge line functions, including liaising with the local Government, when necessary, in matters relating to the protection and welfare of Overseas Indians.
The centre will discharge the following functions:
- Networking with Indian Associations in North America to understand their needs and grievances and to organize programmes –in consultation with respective Indian Missions –which would cater to their needs. Promotion of Diaspora Knowledge Network in coordination
with OIFC will be important responsibility.
- Provide for extending legal and medical assistance to the needy overseas Indian through professional consultants, to be hired by OIC. Necessary consultation chambers may be arranged so that, the aggrieved overseas Indian can make use of this facility at
pre-announced venue and time.
- Organize awareness seminars and workshops relating to investment opportunities in India. Efforts should be made to convert remittances into productive investments. Appropriate products and projects prepared by Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre (OIFC)
would be made available to the Overseas Indians through Investment Road Shows to be conducted in various North America countries.
- To carry out such field studies, as may be necessary with the assistance of the Council for Promotion of overseas Employment (COPE), to understand the pattern, trend and growth of migration to North America from India and to provide necessary feedback and
inputs for policy formulations relating to labor migration and Emigration.
- Assist Indian Missions in North America to set up and administer Overseas Worker Resource Centre (OWRC) and the Indian Community Welfare Fund.
- Organize such events relating to Educational and Cultural activities that are relevant for the betterment of living standards of overseas Indians in North America, in consultation with Indian Missions.
- Undertake visit to Indian States to appraise state government authorities on the problem faced by the workers from that state and to suggest immediate measures to state government to mitigate the difficulties of the migrant worker and support state initiatives
for investment promotion.
- Carryout such other duties and functions relating to Overseas Indians, that are allotted by the Ministry.
Abu Dhabi
Overseas Indian Centre (OIC) headed by Counsellor (Community Affairs), Abu Dhabi is functioning to meet the needs of the overseas Indian Community located in UAE. Counsellor (Community Affairs) will discharge the following functions:
- Sort out the problems of the Indian workers in close interaction with local Government agencies whenever serious problems occurred from labour side.
- Implement approved policies of Ministry of The Ministry for the welfare of the Indian workers.
- Setting up of Indian Workers Resource Centre (IWRC) to be located in Dubai. IWRC will provide following services.
- An effective Grievance redressal mechanism for Indian community.
- Counselling centres in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Sharjah, Fujairah and Ras-Al-Kaimah.
- Awareness programmes for the Indian Community.
- Attestation of Employment Contract as and when the new procedure comes in to effect
- Provide investment advisory services to the overseas Indians. Provide investment advisory services to OIs to transform them from being new savers to become investors particularly in the Gulf regions.
- Extend legal and medical counseling to overseas Indians workers as well as Indian women in need and facing marital difficulties overseas.
- In respect of problem of women, apart from arranging the legal or medical assistance as required, they will provide assistance in establishing contact with their next kin in India and if required arrange their repatriation with the help of their relatives.
Contact
Mr. Anand Bardhan,
Director (Community Affairs),
Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi
E-mail : ccad[at]indembassy[dot]uae[dot]org