Dubai: Noble deed - Indian billionaire Firoz Merchant to pay for expat prisoners' tickets


Dubai, PTI May 23 (PTI): A Dubai-based Indian billionaire will donate a total of $130,790 a year to fund the return tickets of expatriate prisoners who have been released from jails in the UAE.

Firoz Merchant, founder and chairman of Pure Gold Jewellers, has just signed a memorandum of understanding with the UAE's Faraj Fund, a charity initiative that seeks to promote the welfare of inmates in the country.

Merchant promised to provide $130,790 (Dh 480,000) a year to fund the air tickets for released prisoners, to help them go back to their country and reunite with their families.

 

Faraj Fund was established in June 2009 in Abu Dhabi through a decree issued by the Minister of Social Affairs.

The fund will be extended to inmates who cannot afford to pay for their airfare. The Dh 40,000 monthly budget will be released to Faraj Fund once it submits a list of deported inmates.

Mumbai-born businessman, who has an ongoing initiative to help clear the debts of expatriates who land in jail, has just secured the release of 132 prisoners by paying off combined borrowings worth Dh 150,000.

"These prisoners are victims of circumstances and are not real criminals. They are in jail because of debt," Merchant had said.

Merchant is also working on providing financial aid to Ajman Police for the medical treatment of a policeman suffering from neurological disorder. An amount of Dh 60,000 shall be allocated for his Chinese acupuncture treatment in Jordan.

"In unity with the Year of Giving initiative, we are working with the prison and law enforcement authorities to help insolvent prisoners; as well as members of the police force who work hard to ensure we continue to live in a secure and happy community," Merchant said.

 

  

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Comment on this article

  • NR, mangalore

    Wed, May 24 2017

    FEROZ SAAB, god bless you.

    DisAgree Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • THERESA LOBO, Mukamar,Sharjah - U.A.E.

    Wed, May 24 2017

    Dear Mr.Firoz Merchant,

    The name is really matching PURE GOLD JEWELLERS AND YOUR PURE CLEAN HEART.
    May God Bless you and your entire family.
    Wishing you all the Best and may your Business grow more and more.

    DisAgree Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • Stan, Udupi/Dubai

    Tue, May 23 2017

    Pure gold business and pure golden heart.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [42] Reply Report Abuse

  • Stan, Udupi

    Tue, May 23 2017

    Noble cause. Will he consider helping others in jail for loan/credit defaults who are caught in credit web unknowingly and finding it difficult to come out of jail. Individual cases has to be studied and only innocent people to be helped.May almighty God give him more success in business for his kind gesture.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [26] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Tue, May 23 2017

    Ambani & Adani are all Tuss ....

    DisAgree [3] Agree [64] Reply Report Abuse

  • sri_elder, Karkala

    Tue, May 23 2017

    Do they own gold mines?

    DisAgree [41] Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Tue, May 23 2017

    sri_elder, Karkala,
    My friend takes them on all International Holidays & helps them to bag overseas contracts ...

    DisAgree [3] Agree [30] Reply Report Abuse

  • Stan, Udupi/Dubai

    Tue, May 23 2017

    Not gold mine, but golden heart is required.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [40] Reply Report Abuse

  • Rita, Germany

    Thu, May 25 2017

    @sri-elder karkala,it is a matter of not golden mines but only of heart.Same time one should not give millions but with a good heart and only hundred /s does also.but willingly.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • walter menezes, Bantwal / Urwa chilimbi

    Tue, May 23 2017

    Dear Mr. Feroz Merchant,

    It is so good to hear your genorous support that will help many families, and im sure God will bless you in hundred folds that your contribution will have so many smiles back home. God bless you.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [38] Reply Report Abuse

  • Mangalurian, Mangaluru

    Tue, May 23 2017

    I appreciate what Mr Firoz Merchant has done for the benefit of the Indian prisoners.

    As prisoners, they may not have any spare money to fly back to India.

    But people must not forget that the Indian Government collects an Emigration Fee from every person that goes abroad.

    A few years ago, this was about 16 crore rupees per year.

    According to the External Affairs ministry, the fund is to be utilised for the Indian emigrants in distress.

    Obviously the various Indian community organisations in the Gulf need to write Ms Swaraj about the need to spend some of that fund on the suffering Indian labourers in the Gulf.

    DisAgree Agree [35] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jaimini P.B., Manipal,Sharjah

    Tue, May 23 2017

    God Bless Firoz Merchant & family.. Sir..You are a real Bahu Bali....

    DisAgree [1] Agree [32] Reply Report Abuse

  • Shankar, Mangalore

    Tue, May 23 2017

    May your tribe flourish Sir.
    God bless you.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [56] Reply Report Abuse


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Title: Dubai: Noble deed - Indian billionaire Firoz Merchant to pay for expat prisoners' tickets



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