KOCHI: Much to the delight of millions of Malayali expatriates, Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan has said that the State government is in the process of drawing up a welfare scheme, including pension, for them.

He was talking after inaugurating the two-day Keraleeya Pravasi Sangamam, organised jointly by the NoRKA (Non-resident Keralites Affairs Department) and NoRKA-ROOTS, a company functioning under the Department of NoRKA, here on Wednesday.

Mr. Achuthanandan said the details of the scheme would be revealed in the sessions to be held on Thursday.

He said that NoRKA-ROOTS would be made a company with the State government as a major stakeholder. The government’s share would be increased to 51.3 per cent from the existing one-fourth shareholding. This would enable the government to play a more proactive role in the welfare of the expatriates, Mr. Achuthanandan said.

He said an office of NoRKA would start in Chennai when the Kerala House launched its operations there. The recommendation for starting a NoRKA office in Bangalore was also under the active consideration of the government, the Chief Minister said.

The government was also considering opening NoRKA cells at district collectorates as in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode.

Setting up a NoRKA village with the support of expatriates was also on the anvil. It would have world-class quality educational, health and residential facilities complete with separate arrangements for recreation and resting.

Separate institutions for the safe accommodation of the aged and commercial and industrial establishments are also being proposed in the village.

Mr. Achuthanandan said that NoRKA would extend all support to expand and intensify the functioning of Malayalam language study centres, aimed at creating a strong bond with the mother tongue.

The government was also interested in starting centres abroad, he said.

The government decided to conduct a youth festival to showcase the talents of the expatriates’ children.

Mr. Achuthanandan said there was widespread complaint that the benefit of the ‘Santhwanam’ project, aimed at providing relief to the expatriates reeling under financial constraints on their return, was not reaching the eligible. He attributed this to the hitches in the below poverty list. He said that a decision had been taken to effect a change in the implementation of the project to improve its efficiency.

Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi presided over the meeting. Sheela Thomas, Secretary of NoRKA, welcomed the gathering. Sebastian Paul, MP, K.T. Jaleel and Manjalamkuzhi Ali, MLAs, directors of NoRKA M.A. Yousuf Ali, M. Anirudhan, Alexander Vadakkedom and Moosa were among those present.

A section of the expatriates staged a protest at the venue against the alleged neglect of their problems.

They were, later, removed by the police.

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