Minister for Non- Resident Keralites Affairs (NoRKA) K.C. Joseph has said that the recommendations submitted by the Legislative Committee on the Welfare of Non-Resident Keralites will be considered very seriously and steps will be taken to implement all its possible suggestions.
Speaking after distributing the NoRKA’s welfare aid for selected Gulf returnees, the Minister said the government had already implemented some of the proposals made by the committee.
Just in Kerala He said it was only the Kerala government that had formed such a special committee for taking care of the ‘pravasi’ affairs and make necessary interventions in the sector.
Rs.66.15 crore Explaining the financial support given by the government for addressing the concerns of gulf returnees, Mr. Joseph said, “The government had already disbursed Rs.66.15 crore among 3,300 selected beneficiaries.”
On the Nitaqat issue, the Saudi government took a very helpful stance towards the country following the interventions made by Union Ministers Vayalar Ravi and E. Ahamed, he said.
Free tickets According to Mr. Joseph, the government had also offered free tickets for the expatriates, who were compelled to vacate the land under the Nitaqat rules. “Sadly, a few people hesitated to accept it and tried to stay back there through other options,” he said.
Referring to the plan of the State government to seriously consider a proper rehabilitation package for the Gulf returnees, Mr. Joseph said suggestions in this regard had already been submitted by the Legislative Committee on Welfare of Non-Resident Keralites.
Sidelined “The welfare concerns of ‘pravasi’ community can never be sidelined as they contribute an average of Rs.75,000 crore to the State economy a year,” he maintained. Chairman of the Legislative Committee on the Welfare of Non-Resident Keralites Abdurahiman Randathani presided over the function.
NoRKA Roots Chief Executive Officer P. Sudeep, Additional Secretary R.S. Kannan and District Congress Committee president K.C. Abu were present. A total aid of Rs.54.80 lakh was distributed at the function.
