IMC to give financial aid to 23 families orphaned in 26/11

The Indian Merchants' Chamber (IMC) has said that it would disburse financial aid to 23 orphaned families who lost their bread-earners in the 26/11 terror strikes in the metropolis, at its annual general meeting, on Monday.

The first installment of its three-year financial aid package will be given to the families by Reserve Bank Deputy Governor, Rakesh Mohan, at the AGM, a press release issued here said.

At the AGM function, Mohan, as a token measure, will present IMC's cheques to three of these families. The remaining 20 families will receive the cheques on the same day, after the official business of the AGM, at a specially set-up help-desk at the IMC premises, the release said.

The IMC has undertaken the responsibility to provide financial assistance towards all medical and educational expenditure of these 23 families during the next three years. The chamber has also committed to get employment and job placements to members of these affected families, so that these families could become economically independent soon, the release said.

Immediately after the terror strikes, the IMC short-listed about 30 orphaned families with the help of a team of 10 students of Nirmala Niketan College of Social Work. The team members visited numerous bereaved households, established a line of close communication with them, and identified their pressing financial needs towards education of their children and healthcare of their family members during the next three-years, the release said.

Eventually, 23 families were short-listed since seven of them could not be traced, the release added.