Global non-resident Kerala meet to begin in Kochi on Jan 16

Around 1,000 NRKs are expected to participate in the meet which will be inaugurated by CM Oommen Chandy

The Kerala government will hold a two-day global non-resident Keralites (NRKs) meet on January 16 in Kochi.

The Global NRK Meet, an initiative of the department of Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NORKA) and its field agency NORKA-ROOTS, is acting as a platform for Keralites living abroad and in other states to interact directly with the state government.

Around 1,000 NRKs are expected to participate in the meet which will be inaugurated by chief minister Oommen Chandy.

"More than 2.36 million Malayalis are working outside Kerala and nearly five million of our population is dependent on them. The socio-economic and cultural contribution of NRKs to their home state is invaluable and we are committed to resolving their issues," said minister for NORKA KC Joseph.

"At the meet, we hope to arrive at speedy solutions to several challenges, including the employment and rehabilitation of people who had returned back for various reasons, and come up with new schemes for the welfare and convenience of Malayalis living overseas," he said.

Rani George, secretary NORKA and director of NORKA-ROOTS, said the meet will also be a forum for NRKs to explore investment opportunities in Kerala.

"In 2013-14, Kerala received foreign remittances in excess of Rs 72,000 crore, which gives an idea of the scale of economic impact they could make. But, we want this to be more participatory; we want NRKs to invest in infrastructure, industrial and development projects and be a part of the state's growth story," she said.