Petition at SC seeking direction to make apt use of ICWF for repatriation

Pravasi Legal Cell v Union of India & Ors. (WP(C) 558 of 2020)

A writ petition was filed before the Supreme Court, seeking directions to make apt use of the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) available with the Indian Embassies towards repatriation of the economically weaker Indian Expatriates including migrant labourers stranded in Gulf countries.

Status of the Matter: The matter was disposed off on the submission of the Ld. Solicitor General that the issue pertains to matter of policy of the Government and the Court cannot pass any direction to the usage of the Community Welfare Fund. Hence the Supreme Court, as per the order dated 19-06-2020, granted liberty to the petitioner to make appropriate representation to the Government of India, in accordance with law. The major impact of the above-mentioned matter is that the Central Government directed various embassies and consulates to use ICWF fund effectively. It is pertinent to mention herein that more than thousand people were repatriated to India from Malaysia alone with free air tickets procured using the Indian Community Welfare Fund.