THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In the backdrop of Loka Kerala Sabha (LKS), the state government is gearing up to revamp NORKA Roots as well as to form a permanent LKS Secretariat to follow-up the decisions and suggestions of LKS. A committee headed by former additional chief secretary Sheela Thomas has been formed to give recommendations in this regard. According to a sources, the government plans to bring all welfare schemes for NRKs under the Kerala Pravasi Welfare Board. The NORKA Roots would be mainly focusing on rehabilitation schemes, certificate attestation services and overseas recruitment.
The LKS Secretariat would be mainly pursuing the suggestions and decisions taken at LKS held in January. Already various standing committees have been formed with specific targets like promoting investments and culture. The committee headed by Sheela Thomas, who was also a former NORKA secretary, will have NORKA Roots executive vice-chairman K. Varadarajan, NORKA Roots chief executive officer Harikrishnan Namboothiri and a member of the State Planning Board as its members. It will have to submit report with in three weeks.
Mr Namboothiri said that with the increasing trend of reverse migration as well as job crisis in many foreign countries, NORKA Roots need to strengthen its activities in sectors like rehabilitation of returnees as well as overseas recruitment. He also said that schemes like NORKA Department Project for Returned Emigrants offering financial assistance to returnees for self employment would be enhanced further.
