Kerala to seek centre's help to resolve diaspora woes: Minister


Posted on 3rd Jan 2015 05:14 pm by ram kishor

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."

0 Like 0 Dislike
Previous news Next news
Other news

Modi pays tribute to Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru

New Delhi, March 23 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday paid tributes to freedom figh

CM Yogi Oath Ceremony: Seven PCS officers will make the swearing-in ceremony of Yogi Adityanath Sarkar 2.0 grand, will command 19

After registering a landslide victory in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, preparations are g

Parrikar lauds Coast Guard for intercepting Pakistani boat

New Delhi, Jan 2 (IANS) Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar Friday complimented the Indian Coast

Impeachment motion submitted against Donald Trump, will he be evicted from power?

The Democratic Party has submitted two impeachment motions against him in the US Parliament a sho

Centre seeks report from Kashmir on Alam's release

New Delhi, March 8 (IANS) The central government on Sunday sought a report from Jammu and Kashm

Manipur: 10 more companies of central forces reached Manipur, tribal organizations can meet Amit Shah today

Violence has once again flared up in Manipur. In such a situation, 10 more companies of central f

Modi-Obama's Bulletproof Summit: Was it Climate-Proof?

When US President Barack Obama alighted from his bulletproo

Punjab Elections 2022: Arvind Kejriwal on Goa tour, wife and daughter took the lead in Punjab elections

The Aam Aadmi Party, which has registered a massive victory in the Delhi Assembly elections for t

The danger of Delta Plus in Maharashtra: Both doses of vaccine or 72 hours RT-PCR negative report required for entry into the state, otherwise 14 days quarantine

For entry in Maharashtra, now you will have to show both doses of corona vaccine or RT-PCR report

The order to put QR codes on the dhabas on the Kanwar Yatra route is challenged in SC The hearing may take place on this day.

A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the order to put QR codes on the eater

Sign up to write
Sign up now if you have flare of writing..
Login   |   Register
Follow Us
Indyaspeak @ Facebook Indyaspeak @ Twitter Indyaspeak @ Pinterest RSS



Play Free Quiz and Win Cash