Non-Resident Keralites (NoRKs) from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries form the bulk of the 2.20 lakh persons to register online till 7 p.m. on Monday on the website of the Department of Non-Resident Keralite Affairs (NoRKA) to return to the State.
Among the GCC countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), most of the registrations from Sunday evening onwards on the www.registernorkaroots.org are from the UAE. NoRKA sources said they were yet to analyse the countrywise breakup of those who had enrolled.
The process was launched for making quarantine arrangements on their return to Kerala. The registration is available round the clock and no date has been fixed for closure.
The response to the government’s request for registration, despite it being made clear that no priority would be accorded to those who registered early, has surprised the authorities. The registration touched 30,000 in two hours after it was opened on Sunday evening. It went up to 1.5 lakh on Monday noon and crossed the two-lakh mark in the evening.
According to official estimates, there are 33 lakh NoRKs in various countries, including 22 lakh from the Gulf region. The government is expecting around three to 5.5 lakh of them to return once the flight services are resumed to Kerala. About 1.4 lakh beds have been identified in government and private healthcare facilities in the State. The Public Works Department has already examined the facilities identified as COVID care centres.
Criteria
As per the guidelines issued by the government, the NoRKs who are returning will have to get tested in the country they are staying and should carry with them COVID-19 negative certificates.
