|
PR/15
Press Release
In keeping with the India-Sri Lanka Joint Statement of 26 October, 2008, wherein it was agreed that India would send a consignment of humanitarian relief assistance for civilians affected by the conflict in the North of Sri Lanka, a ship carrying 1680 tons of relief materials arrived at Colombo Port from Chennai on Saturday, 15 November, 2008. The consignment, which is contained in almost 100 containers, has been unloaded at the Port. Officials of the High Commission of India are currently working with the Customs and Port authorities for clearing and moving the relief items.
The High Commission of India hopes to be able to transfer the shipment to the warehouse of the International Committee of the Red Cross by the middle of this week, following which it will be formally handed over to the ICRC Delegation for onward transport and distribution to the affected populations.
The High Commission of India wishes to place on record its appreciation for the Government of Sri Lanka for facilitating the arrival of the consignment and to the ICRC for its assistance in its storage, onward transportation and distribution.
Colombo
November 17, 2008
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
‘Tracing the Roots’ Programme
Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (hereinafter referred to as Ministry), Government of India, has designed a programme “Tracing the Roots” to assist Persons of Indians origin in tracing their roots. For this purpose, the Ministry has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with “Indiroots”, a non-governmental organization. The contact details of the latter are as below:
Address: E - 663/9 West Vinod Nagar, Delhi-110092
E-mail: indiroots@yahoo.com, sst11_in@yahoo.com
Persons of Indians origin desirous of tracing their roots in India would be required to fill up the prescribed application form and deposit it with this High Commission along with a fee of Indian Rupees (INR) 20,000/- (Rupees twenty thousand) in equivalent Sri Lankan Rupees in the form of a crossed cheque or demand draft in favour of “High Commission of India, Colombo”. Cash payment will also be accepted. The exact amount in Sri Lankan Rupees may be ascertained from Attaché (Administration), Tel: 011-2439277 on the date of payment. Any other useful information/document that could be helpful in tracing the roots may also be submitted with the application.
The Ministry would forward the application with all supporting documents to “Indiroots”. The details of the roots in India (where traceable) i.e., name of close surviving relatives, details of the place of origin of their forefathers (paternal and maternal side) and a possible family tree will be prepared by “Indiroots” and submitted to the Ministry approximately within a period of three months from the date of receipt of the application by it. The information received from “Indiroots” including family tree prepared by it, would then be sent to this High Commission at the earliest for onward transmission to the applicant. In case of any doubt about the genuineness of the ‘roots’, the decision of the Ministry, taken in consultation with the applicant and ‘Indiroots’ will be final and binding on ‘Indiroots’.
In case of a successful attempt, the balance of INR 14,000/- (Rupees fourteen thousand) will be released by the Ministry to “Indiroots”. In case the attempt is not successful, a further amount of only INR 4,000/- (Rupees four thousand) will be released to “Indiroots’ and the High Commission would be authorized to refund an amount of INR 10,000/- (Rupees ten thousand) in Sri Lankan Rupees to the applicant at the official rate of exchange, as determined by the Government of India, applicable on the date of the refund.
It may be noted that “Tracing the Roots” programme only provides for gathering of the information of the ancestors of the applicant and does not have any provision or arrangement for the visit of the applicant to his/her ancestral place(s). In case the applicant wishes to visit these places, the Ministry/Indiroots would facilitate such visits but the applicant would have to bear all related expenditure.
MINISTRY OF OVERSEAS INDIAN AFFAIRS
Government of India
Application for Tracing the Roots
A. Personal details of the applicant
1. Name of the Applicant
2. Contact particulars
(a) Complete postal address
(b) Telephone No.
(c) Fax No.
(d) E-mail
3. Profession
B. Particulars of the Ancestor with whom the link is to be established
4. Name
5. Year when he/she migrated
6. Approximate age at the time of migration
7. Caste
8. Profession at the time of migration
9. Name of the Village
10. Name of the Police Station
11. Name of the Pargana/Tehsil
12. Name of the Post Office
13. Name of the Zila (District)
14. Name of the State
15. Names of the Neighbouring Villages
16. Details of property owned by the migrant
17. Name of the Parents and immediate family members of the Migrant with nick names, if any
(a) Father
(b) Mother
(c) Brothers
(d) Sisters
(e) Wife
(f) Sons
(g) Daughters
(h) Paternal uncles/aunts
(i) Maternal uncles/aunts
(j) Others, please specify
C. Details of Migration
1. Name of the ship
2. Particulars of the Agent
3. Port of embarkation
4. Date of embarkation
5. Date when reached destination
6. Port of disembarkation
D. Particulars of other ancestors of the applicant
1. Name of the Parents with nick names, if any
(a) Father
(b) Mother
2. Name of the Grandparents with nicknames, if any
(a) Grandfather
(b) Grandmother
3. Name of the Great Grandparents with nick names, if any
(a) Great Grandfather
(b) Great Grandmother
E. General
1. Do you have copy of correspondence exchanged
by the Migrant with his relations or others in India?
If yes – give details and enclose copies
2. Has the applicant heard any stories or:
details with regard to his Ancestors who migrated
from India? If yes, give details
F. Documents attached
November 12, 2008 |
