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."
Air India Express flight operations are being disrupted. This problem has arisen due to the
SC Relief to Ramdev in new 'Honeymooon Remark' cases
New Delhi, Feb 2 (IANS) The Supreme Court Monday stayed another set of criminal proceedings ini
Amidst the controversy over the procession on Ram Navami, BJP has made a big claim. BJP MP and Un
Big news for the candidates who appeared in the Company Secretary June 2023 examinations. CS Prof
PM Modi's massive rallies continue in the election state Madhya Pradesh. The Prime Minister has r
The counting of votes for the post of National President of All India Congress will take place to
Former India captain and former BCCI president Sourav Ganguly have once again joined hands with D
India defeated South Africa in the third ODI and won the series 2-1. This was India's second bila
Trans-Tasman rivalry takes centrestage in World Cup final (Preview)
Melbourne, March 28 (IANS) Much more than the World Cup title will be at stake when co-hosts Au
Testing at the airport, 15 labs ready; Government told the plan to deal with monkeypox
Monkeypox has also knocked in the country amid the threat of Corona. So far, 4 cases of monkeypox
