Deserted NRI wives will now get legal aid

Scheme will cover US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the Gulf

NEW DELHI: With cases of women being deserted by NRI husbands on the rise, the government has launched a scheme to provide them with financial assistance and legal aid overseas.

Under the scheme, counselling and legal services would be provided through credible Indian women’s organisations or Indian community associations and NGOs that will be empanelled with the country’s missions, Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi told Rajya Sabha in a written reply.

The scheme has been launched in the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the Gulf. “The scheme is to support women of Indian origin in distress, through mobilisation of the local Indian community and with some financial assistance from the government,” Ravi said. The women will also be provided with financial assistance to meet the initial cost and incidental charges for filing of the case by the Indian women’s organisation or the NGOs.