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."
Maharashtra minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik has hit out at actre
If there is a match between India and Pakistan, then cricket is not limited to sports only. In th
The Indian team defeated New Zealand by four wickets with 12 balls remaining in the 20th match of
LL Cool J to host Grammy's for Fourth Consecutive time
London, Jan 22 (IANS) Rapper LL Cool J will once again return to host the 2015 Grammy Awards, th
Despite no big stars and no major promotions, Mohit Suri's romantic musical drama Saiyaara is cre
The discussion about the new season of TV's controversial reality show Bigg Boss has intensified.
Filmmaker Boney Kapoor's daughter Janhvi Kapoor inherited acting from her mother Sridevi. Film b
Farmers agitating against agricultural laws will take out a tractor rally on 26 January. Against
When GST comes, petrol 75 and diesel will be Rs 68 - SBI report
Due to the continuous increase in the prices of petrol and diesel, the government is under great
These days it is raining heavily in many states of the country. Torrential rains started in Delhi