CM's immediate intervention sought in expatriates' issues

Opposition leader in the Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala today sought state government's immediate intervention in addressing the issues faced by Non-Resident Keralites, who return in large numbers after losing jobs due to localisation policy in Gulf countries.
In a letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Chennithala alleged that various welfare programmes taken up by the state government for NRKs had come to a halt in the last six months.
Relief programmes like 'Santhvanam", under which financial aid is envisaged to be given to those suffering from diseases like cancer, were also came to a standstill, he said.
"A large number of expatriates are returning home after losing jobs due to the crisis in Gulf countries. We have recognised the vital contributions of expatriates to the state's economy. So the Chief Minister should immediately intervene into their issues and find solutions," he said.

Though a state NRI Commission had been formed during the tenure of the previous UDF government for the welfare of people, the present government is yet to provide any basic facility for it to begin function, he said.
It was believed that the Commission would have been a relief for NRKs who return home state after losing jobs.
But it was yet to start full-fledged functions as neither office facility nor staffs were provided, he said.