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."
'Indo-US ties back on rails as Modi, Obama take Ownership'
New Delhi, Feb 3 (IANS) India's relationship with the US
Only a few months are left for the Lok Sabha elections to begin. In such a situation, Congress le
The Test match being played between Australia and Pakistan in Melbourne has reached an exciting s
The report of the Parliament's Ethics Committee on the alleged cash-for-query case will be presen
It is the year 1942. Hitler's 300,000 Nazi soldiers were marching toward the city of Stalingrad a
Saudi Arabia has once again come forward to help Pakistan, which is suffering from a crippling ec
Union Minister Prad Joshi has sharply criticized Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. Prahlad J
India's merchandise exports grew 22.36% to $33.81 billion in February. A year ago i.e. in Februar
GST Invoice Racket: GST racket busted in Mumbai, fake bills worth 41 crores found, one arrested
The team of CGST Bhiwandi Commissionerate in Mumbai has busted a big gang claiming to get Input T
PFC to give Rs.15,000 crore loan for Telangana power projects
Hyderabad, March 15 (IANS) The Power Finance Corporation (PFC) has come forward to extend Rs.15
