The meet is being organised by the department of Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NORKA) and its field agency Norka-Roots at the convention centre of Hotel Le Meridien in Kochi on January 16-17, with an aim to serve as a platform for NRKs and Malayalis who had returned after living and working overseas.
Issues relating to NRKs who have had to return to Kerala for various reasons and their future rehabilitation are among the major issues to be discussed at the meet, said KC Joseph, minister for rural development, planning, culture and NORKA, here today at a press conference.
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Stating the fall in global oil prices was a major challenge for Kerala, Joseph said the state government had sought the Centre's assistance for taking up rehabilitation programmes for the returnees.
"The chief Minister had raised this issue with the Prime Minister at the recent Pravasi Bharatiya Divas meet in Gujarat," he said.
"In view of the rampant fraud in the overseas recruitment process, we also requested the Centre to authorise the state government to conduct recruitments," the minister said.
Nearly 450 NRKs from across 20 countries, including Gulf nations, UK, USA, Canada, Germany, France, Kenya, Libya, Singapore and Thailand have already registered as delegates for the event, and around 1,000 delegates are expected to attend.