Under the rehabilitation package offered by the State to Non-Resident Keralites (NoRKS) who had to return home following the implementation of Nitaqat law in certain Gulf countries, 605 persons, out of a total applicants of 19,690, have opted to avail of self-employment scheme loans, Minister for Rural Development K.C. Joseph informed the House on Monday.
Replying to a question raised by Suresh Kurup, MLA, the Minister said that under the scheme, a maximum of Rs.20 lakh was offered as loan amount, for which, NoRKA would give Rs.3 lakh as subsidy.
Interest rate
The interest rate for loan repayment had been fixed at 3 per cent less than the RBI-approved rates. Though there were nearly 20,000 applicants initially, only 7,194 persons had appeared for screening. NoRKA has so far paid Rs.4.08 crore as subsidy for 605 self-employment projects. Mr. Joseph said the government was not in a position to fully finance employment schemes for the NoRKs.
Mr. Joseph informed the House that Air Kerala, proposed State-owned aviation company offering cheaper air travel for NRIs in the Gulf region, was very much alive and that it would become a reality if the Civil Aviation Ministry eased two conditions.
The Ministry stipulates that to launch international air operations, an aviation firm should have operated at least 20 fleets or should have had five years’ experience in domestic air operations.
Welfare schemes
He said the government had been most sincere in its efforts to be of assistance to expatriates.
The government had, under various welfare schemes for expatriates, paid nearly Rs.18 crore to expatriates. Kerala was the only State which had taken the initiative to bring back nurses from war zones in Libya and Iraq.
A legal aid cell to help those expatriates who find themselves in conflict with law in the Gulf countries was still operational but the government was now thinking of running the cell in cooperation with any Malayali NRI association.
The Minister said despite the government’s appeal to banks to help out those Keralites who had returned following Nitaqat implementation, no banks except Union Bank of India and Canara Bank had shown any interest. This was also regardless of the fact that the NRI deposits alone in the banks in Kerala exceeded Rs.1 lakh crore, he added.
Says Air Kerala proposal very much active
Subsidy for 605 self-employment projects
