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."
The heatwave has started increasing again in Delhi NCR. If the temperature is increasing rapidly,
Lalu Yadav News: Lalu Yadav was released from Palamu court, the court gave 'freedom' with 6000 fines
Lalu Yadav News RJD national president Lalu Prasad Yadav appeared in Palamu court on Wednesday in
Monkeypox Vaccine: Government alerted by increasing cases of monkeypox, tender for vaccine and kit
The government has become alert because of the ever-increasing cases of monkeypox in the country.
Does Modi have Game Plan for Shining India: Tharoor
Jaipur, Jan 23 (IANS) Congress MP Shashi Tharoor Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had w
Bollywood's Bhaijaan Salman Khan was last seen in the film 'Sikander'. The film did not do any wo
Amarnath expects India to beat Pakistan
New Delhi, Feb 13 (IANS) Former cricketer Mohinder Amarnath expects India to beat Pakistan in t
Forest fires scorch over 11,000 hectares in Himachal
Shimla, March 24 (IANS) Forest fires raging across the hills of Himachal Pradesh scorched over
Five people from a family of a locality died after consuming poison at New Area Garh located in N
Ram devotees are donating openly in the court of Ramlalla. Devotees have been flocking continuous
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday (February 26) said that the main concern of the
