Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 2 (IANS) Kerala will present its progress card on what it has done for the diaspora and then ask for the centre's help for its plans, Diaspora Minister K.C.Joseph said Friday.
Joseph will be part of a Kerala delegation at the Pravasti Bhartiya Divas (PBD) to be held in Gujarat capital Gandhinagar from January 7 to 9.
Joseph Chief Minister Oommen Chandy would lead the delegation and there would be a Kerala Pavilion at the three-day event which will showcase "our advantages to the visiting diaspora".
"See, Kerala is probably the only state that has led from the front to support its diaspora, whenever there arose an occasion. There are limitations for a state and currently we have launched a rehabilitation package for those who have returned from the Middle-East. It's here we seek the Centre to support us financially when we draw up special schemes," the minister told IANS.
Of the 23.63 lakh Keralites who went abroad, 90 percent are in various Middle-East countries. Close to 13 lakhs have returned from these countries.
According to the latest figures from the State Level Bankers Committee, the total remittances made by the Kerala diaspora to the banks here has crossed Rs.1 lakh crores.
"The chief minister will be speaking on January 9 at the chief minister's session. He will touch upon the issue of giving necessary sanction for our proposal to start our own airline- Air Kerala and also on the hefty air fares being charged by airlines operating to the Middle-East," Joseph said.
According to the minister, the Kerala government is perhaps the only state government which recently has come out with a financial assistance package for the members of diaspora who have returned.
"We along with two public sector banks have launched a self employment scheme and by now more than 20,000 people have applied for it. The maximum cap on loans would be Rs. two million and the Kerala government would offer a 10 percent subsidy to all those who begin an enterprise in the agriculture, trading, manufacturing or the service sectors," he said.
Joseph, who would present Kerala's progress card in the Gulf Session, scheduled for January 9, also said: "The Kerala Pavilion will showcase investment opportunities for the visitors and tourism, IT would be the key areas."
India should realize potential of soft power: Modi
New Delhi, Feb 23 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday said it was time for India to "rea
IRCTC will be the first agency in the country to connect two countries through tourism train unde
Strong earthquake tremors in California, 2 people died; Richter scale 6.4 measured intensity
Earthquake tremors were felt in Northern California at 2.34 pm on Tuesday late night. The earthqu
“Government can buy ventilators, hospitals, oxygen, beds, buildings by paying everything, b
RCB vs LSG Playing 11: Will Rahul enter as an impact player again? Topley may get a place in RCB
Lucknow Supergiants' regular captain KL Rahul took the field as an impact player in the last matc
A day before the match with Rajasthan Royals, the Delhi Capitals have suffered a major setback. D
Do not be worried about getting the vaccine: then the deadly delta variant of Covid can infect |
The havoc of the Coronavirus is continuing in the country for the last one and half years. So far
Documentary Captures Paris Attacks Protest March
Kolkata, Feb 3 (IANS) Bengali filmmaker Anindya Chatterjee, who was w
The Shiromani Akali Dal, one of the oldest NDA allies on the issue of farmers, has adopted a rebe
Indian Railways has always been making special arrangements for the passengers on festivals. Keep
