Several Keralite expatriate forums in Qatar have rued the absence of any meaningful and viable social security schemes for the benefit of non-resident Indians hailing from the southern Indian state of Kerala, in the state’s annual budget presented yesterday.
They lamented that even though the state finance minister has showered many sections in the state with a series of social security measures, including a hike in the monthly pensions of many segments the non-resident Keralites (NRKs) have been totally overlooked.
Prominent businessman and community leader C K Menon said a token provision of just Rs 10m in the budget for the activities of the department of the non-resident Keralites’ Affaires (Norka) would not do any good for the nearly three million strong Keralite expatriate community in the GCC states.
Menon pointed out that due to the absence of any systematic measures for the welfare of the NRKs , they are setting up their own social security scheme using the assistance of banks and other institutions, without waiting anymore for support from the government.
Even though the Kerala State Financial Enterprises (KSFE) has been authorised to institute a social security programme to rehabilitate those losing jobs in the GCC states thanks to the increasing nationalisation of jobs in the region, it is far from being implemented, said Menon.
President of the Indian Cultural and Arts Society (Incas) Joppachan Thekkekkuttu said that the budget was a “terrible disappointment” to the Keralite expatriates in the Gulf.
“The non-resident Keralites have been completely overlooked by the Kerala finance minister”, he said adding that Incas had made representations to Kerala Chief Minister, Finance Minister and Norka Minister seeking assistance for rehabilitation of needy and deserving sections among the NRKs.
Sanskriti and Friends of Tiruvalla (Fota), two other expatriate forums too have come down heavily on the budget with one of them commenting, “it has absolutely nothing that could cheer the NRKs”.
Sanskriti also recalled that the former government in Kerala led by V S Achuthadanandan earmarked more than Rs 1bn for the activities of the Norka when in power between 2006 and 2011. “This budget is very balanced one and aimed at broader development of Kerala. However, I feel more support and schemes should have been there for non-resident Keralite. Follow up of the announced schemes and execution is more important,” said K M Varghese, chairman of Indian Cultural Center’s advisory board.The Peninsula
