Kerala diaspora to meet in Kochi Jan 16

Kochi, Jan 6 (IANS) A two-day global diaspora meet of non-resident Keralites will begin here Jan 16 for Malayalees living outside Kerala to interact directly with the government.

Around 1,000 non-resident Keralites (NRKs) from India and abroad are expected to participate in the Global NRK Meet.

Ministers and government officials will hold discussions with the participants and exchange ideas during the meet, an initiative of the department of Non-Resident Keralites' Affairs (Norka) and its field agency Norka-Roots.

The Kerala government has said registration for the programme was currently underway and details are available on the official website -- globalnrkmeet.com.

"More than 23.6 lakh Malayalees live and work outside Kerala and nearly 50 lakh of our population is dependent on them. The socio-economic-cultural contribution of NRKs to their home state is invaluable and we are committed to resolving any issues they face," said Minister for Norka K.C. Joseph.

"At the Global NRK Meet, we hope to arrive at speedy solutions to challenges, including re-employment and rehabilitation of people who have had to return for various reasons," he said.

Norka secretary and Norka-Roots director Rani George said the meet will also be a forum for NRKs to explore investment opportunities in Kerala.

"We want NRKs to invest in infrastructure, industrial and development projects and be part of the state's growth story. The government's strong focus on promoting public-private partnership (PPP) and the success of this model in various sectors, such as IT and social enterprises, presents a sea of opportunities for NRKs," said George.

The Norka department was set up by the Kerala government in 1996 to safeguard the rights and redress the grievances of non-resident Keralites.

Norka-Roots, the field agency of the Norka department, was established in 2002. It acts as an interface between the government and NRKs and helps in the implementation of various schemes.