The State government will quickly prioritise the category of non-resident Keralites (NoRKs) that need to return home at the earliest, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here on Saturday.
The government is waiting for the Centre to issue guidelines regarding the same. Those aspiring to come back should register their names on the website of the Department of Non-Resident Keralite Affairs. So should students from Kerala stranded in other parts of the country and the world.
Priority list
Officials said pregnant women, senior citizens, ailing persons, Keralites amnestied from prisons, students, citizens who had gone on visit visas, individuals whose visa period had expired, would get precedence. Kerala expects a significant number of COVID-19 displaced blue-collar workers in high-risk localities in the Gulf to return in the next two months.
Mr Vijayan did not hazard a guess on their numbers but had indicated that it could be in lakhs. The remittances of expatriates have propped up Kerala for long. Their inrush would strain the State’s economy further and impact lakhs of households. He sought a special package from the Centre for their rehabilitation.
The government has put in place a protocol to screen arrivals for COVID-19 symptoms at air and seaports. Those with flu-like symptoms would be immediately hospitalised. Others who warrant observation would be moved to government facilities.
The government and the Congress-led Opposition have repeatedly raised the emotive subject of getting NoRKs back home with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Mr Vijayan and Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennitala had written separate letters.
The Congress staged a dharna in front of Raj Bhavan here Saturday to press the demand.
