(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Norka Minister K C Joseph said that the main focus of the discussions at the two-day meet will be re-employment and rehabilitation of the expats.
Various issues faced by the Non-resident Keralites (NRKs) and the avenues available to them for investment in their home state will be the major topics of discussion at the global NRK meet to be held at the port city of Cochin on January 16 and 17.
Norka Minister K C Joseph said that the main focus of the discussions at the two-day meet will be re-employment and rehabilitation of the expats who have returned from abroad for various reasons. He said that the government would also come up with new schemes for the welfare of the NRKs.
“More than 2.3 million Malayalis live and work outside Kerala and nearly 5 million 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 all issues they face” Joseph said.
He said that the government would also invite ideas from NRKs who have gained vast wealth of experience from living in various parts of the world and working in various sectors for the development and progress of the state.
Norka Secretary Rani George said that the meet will also try to identify potential areas of investment for NRKs and discuss ways to facilitate this. She said the government’s focus on public-private partnership (PPP) and its success in various sectors such as IT and social sectors had offered a sea of opportunities for NRKs.
“In 2013-14 Kerala received foreign remittances in excess of Rs720 billion. This has given an idea of the scale of the economic impact they are making. But we want this to be more participatory; we want NRKs to invest in infrastructure industrial and development projects and be part of the state’s growth story” she added.
The meet an initiative of Norka and its field agency Norka-Roots is intended as a platform for Malayalis living abroad and in other states to interact directly with the state government discuss their issues and recommend solutions assist with policy formation and explore quality investment opportunities at home.
The Norka Department was set up in 1996 to safeguard the rights and redress the grievances of NRKs. It has since been providing a range of services including recruitment assistance skills training legal advice and aid financial support crisis relief rehabilitation support and business and investment facilitation besides cultural and heritage promotion.
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