The Loka Kerala Sabha, being convened here in the Assembly complex on January 12 and 13, will focus on how best the State can utilise the vast experience and skill sets of non-resident Keralites (NoRKs) for its development, according to an official statement.
Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan described the assembly as a strong pitch by the State to harness emigrant experience to expedite Kerala’s development. The sabha will also provide a forum for the diaspora of Keralites to expound on their worries, concerns and aspirations. Its recommendations to the government will be non-binding and advisory in nature.
Chief Secretary Paul Antony is the secretary general of the sabha. He will convene the assembly at the members’ lounge and declare the session open.
The members will take a pledge, and the Speaker will lay out the rules for the conduct of business. A seven-member presidium headed by the Speaker will steer the sabha proceedings.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who is the sabha leader, will make a statement, signalling the commencement of the two-day session. Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, the deputy leader of the Sabha, will address the members. Other prominent speakers include former Chief Ministers V. S. Achuthanandan and Oommen Chandy, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P. J. Kurien and Union Minister of State for Tourism K.J. Alphons.
The Speaker said expatriate members, 177 of them, will split off into smaller groups to hold separate meetings in venues decided according to regions such as West Asia, Europe and America. In-depth deliberations on how to strengthen tourism, health care, social security, industry, IT, animal husbandry, agriculture and fisheries in Kerala will mark the second day of the sabha.
Expatriate women
It will also discuss the unique problems faced by the expatriate women community, including nurses and domestic workers. Mr Vijayan will conclude the session with an address at 3.45 p.m. At 6 p.m., Governor P. Sathasivam will inaugurate the valedictory function at the Nisha Gandhi auditorium in Kanakakunnu Palace.
The meet will discuss how the knowledge and experience of the non-resident Keralites running industries and commercial ventures, those working in management, consultancy and infrastructure development, doctors, nurses, those engaged in research in foreign universities and technical experts can be utilised at a practical level to benefit the State. It is the government’s attempt to create 10 lakh jobs in the IT, tourism, electronics sectors and another 10 lakh employment opportunities in agriculture, construction, commerce and small-scale industries in the the next five years. The government is also envisaging various programmes to provide skill development to 10 lakh persons, to encourage start-ups and develop IT parks. Several projects to improve infrastructure development and to develop value-added products in the agriculture sector are also in the pipeline.
The Loka Kerala Sabha will discuss how the non-resident Keralites can cooperate with the government in achieving these goals.
