'Dream Kerala Project' to help expats who lost jobs due to coronavirus

The project also aims to harness their potential for the future of the state, says Kerala CM

The Kerala government is planning to roll out a 'Dream Kerala Project' to help and tap the potential and experience of those returning from abroad and other states after losing their jobs due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The decision in this regard was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday.

"More people are returning home after losing their jobs and in this situation the Cabinet has decided to implement the Dream Kerala project,' the chief minister said.

Nearly 52 per cent of NRIs returning to Kerala have lost their jobs. According to state government, nearly 143,000 people have arrived in Kerala from abroad in the evacuation mission since May. The number is expected to increase further.

"Among the returnees, there are a large number of professionals from overseas and other parts of the country. They are well-known for their international expertise and experience in various fields. The project also aims to harness their potential for the future of the state," said the Chief Minister.

"The expatriate Malayalees are the key contributors to the state's economic growth. One of the main reasons for the high per capita income in Kerala is the remittances sent by these expatriates," he added.

In 2018, around Rs 85,000 crore was sent by the expatriates into Kerala. The amount has now touched over Rs 1 trillion. Their deposits in banks are at Rs 1,69,944 crore.

The government has taken several steps to utilise the investments of NRIs for the state's development and to ensure a stable income for the returning expatriates, said the Chief Minister.

'Dream Kerala' campaign will be held from July 15 to 30. Sectorial hackathon will be held from August 1 to 10. The selected proposals will be presented at virtual Assembly on August 14.

The submissions will be reviewed by an expert committee of industry heads and young civil servants, who will pick the best ideas and advise concerned departments on the same. The project will be jointly implemented by various departments of the state government.

On the ideas that have been chosen, the concerned state departments should take a decision on implementing them within a week. The idea can then be implemented over 100 days, said the Chief Minister.