As many as 3,20,463 Non-Resident Keralites (NoRKs) held up in 150 countries owing to the COVID-19-induced ban on international flights into the country have registered till Wednesday for returning to Kerala.
The online registration on the website of the Department of Non-Resident Keralite Affairs (NoRKA) that began on Sunday evening is continuing, surprising NoRKA officials. The government is yet to decide when to stop the online registration and forward the list to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
Of those who have registered, 2,23,624 are those who had gone on job and resident visa, 57,436 had gone on visit visa, and 20,219 on dependent visa. As many as 7,276 students, 691 on transit visa, and 11,327 others have enrolled.
As many as 56,114 people who lost their jobs and 58,823 people who want to avail themselves of annual leave have registered. As many as 41,236 people whose visit visas have expired and 23,975 whose visas expired or cancelled for various reasons have expressed willingness to return to the State.
Students
Others who have registered are 9,561 students who want to return owing to the lockdown, 10,007 senior citizens, 9,515 pregnant women, 2,448 students who had completed their courses, 748 who had completed their sentences in prisons abroad, and 1,08,520 others.
A district-wise break-up of those registered till now for returning to the State shows that Malappuram district tops the list with 54,280, followed by Thrissur (40,434), Kozhikode (40,431), and Kannur (36,228).
The number of people who have registered has surpassed the number of beds identified in the State for quarantining those showing symptoms on their return. The State has identified 2,39,642 beds and the Public Works Department has carried out an inspection of the facilities.
From other States
Meanwhile, the online registration for Keralites stranded in other States commenced on Wednesday evening. NoRKA is using the same website www.registernorkaroots.org for this too.
A separate section “Inside India” has been created for the registration. The NoRKs section had been renamed as “Outside India”.
Instead of the passport number that has to be provided by the NoRKs, those stranded within the country have to provide Aadhaar details or any identity card with number, current location with the district, destination address in Kerala, district, municipality, among other details for registration.
