Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 29 ( IANS) With millions of Malayalis living and working abroad, the decision of the V.D. Satheesan government to scrap the Loka Kerala Sabha and replace it with a new mechanism has come into focus, with the Chief Minister on Thursday defending the move while acknowledging the financial strain on the state’s expatriate welfare system.
Replying to an adjournment motion in the state Assembly seeking a discussion on delays in expatriate benefits and the dissolution of the Loka Kerala Sabha, Satheesan said the forum had failed to serve its intended purpose and that a more effective alternative would be established.
“The state government is examining a new system to enable expatriates to raise their concerns, contribute to Kerala’s development and channel their remittances into productive investments,” he added.
The state government has proposed a Global NORKA Coordination Council to ensure more regular engagement with expatriates and their organisations.
A committee led by the Chief Minister is examining an appropriate institutional mechanism.
Launched in 2018 by the previous Pinarayi Vijayan government, the Loka Kerala Sabha brought together elected representatives and nominated members of the global Malayali diaspora to discuss migration, welfare, investment and other issues concerning non-resident Keralites.
However, the Congress-led UDF, led by Satheesan as the former Leader of Opposition, had boycotted its meetings during the previous LDF government’s tenure, citing alleged extravagance and the failure to implement recommendations.
The state government has now decided to discontinue the forum in its existing form.
The challenge for the new administration will be to demonstrate that the proposed alternative can deliver tangible benefits rather than merely replace one consultative platform with another.
The debate also exposed the financial difficulties facing the Pravasi Welfare Board.
Satheesan said its membership had risen from 17,771 in 2020-21 to 1,00,495, while average monthly revenue remained around Rs 16.7 crore against expenditure of nearly Rs 35 crore.
The state government has provided Rs 32 crore towards pension payments during the past five months, while arrears remain to be cleared.
More than Rs 700 crore in contributions is outstanding, Chief Minister Satheesan said, urging expatriate organisations to help recover the dues.
The Chief Minister also cited heavy claims under NORKA’s insurance schemes, which had made renewal difficult, and said the new arrangement was being reworked.
On another major concern for expatriates, Satheesan said the state had repeatedly urged the Centre to regulate steep airfares, adding that the cost of travelling home was exhausting the savings of ordinary migrant workers.
The state government, he said, would introduce an alternative to the Loka Kerala Sabha while continuing to address expatriate welfare and investment needs.
–IANS
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