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."
There is a lot of excitement among the people regarding cricket and IPL has given it a new direct
Nothing phone (1): This transparent phone was launched in India, know the price and specifications
Nothing phone (1) Launched In India: After a long wait, the company launched Nothing phone (1) in
AAP confident, BJP hopeful, Congress despondent post election
New Delhi, Feb 8 (IANS) A day after exit polls predicted an AAP win in Delhi, its visibly relax
Rohit celebrated Babar Azam's birthday: The captains of 16 World Cup teams were also present.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam turned 28 on Saturday. He celebrated his birthday in Australia with T
Pakistan MP Ayaz Sadiq has made a sensational claim about Indian Wing Commander Abhinandan Vardha
Sri Lanka Crisis: The crisis continues in Sri Lanka. Emergency has been imposed in the entire cou
On Tuesday night, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended a news channel's conference. During this,
Tomorrow South's much-awaited film RRR is releasing. Since Bahubali, many South films have been
Ex-Punjab Minister Jailed three years for Graft
Chandigarh, Feb 11 (IANS) Former minister and senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sucha Singh Lan
Surjya Kanta Mishra new West Bengal CPI-M secretary
Kolkata, March 13 (IANS) Surjya Kanta Mishra will be new secretary of the West Bengal state comm