Operating Air Kerala will be a difficult task, opined Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi.
“It is not going to be easy, as finance is needed and aircrafts are to be bought. It is a difficult task and depends on various factors, and it cannot be run on the lines of operating transport buses,” Ravi said.
He assured to take up the issue of exemptions from existing guidelines for the project with the Centre.
The Minister was addressing media on the sidelines of the recently concluded Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) here.
Follow up action would be taken on the initiatives discussed at the event, he said.
“There will be a follow-up action. The issues raised by the NRIs will be brought to the attention of Home, External Affairs and other ministries concerned. Some NRIs have raised the issue of staff shortage in the embassies.
The issue will be taken up with the Ministry of External Affairs,” he said.
To a query on the absence of Chief Ministers at the CM’s session at the PBD, Ravi said that five Chief Ministers had confirmed their presence, but cancelled their visits due to various reasons. “It was not a deliberate absence. However, a major opportunity for NRIs to personally meet and talk to their CMs was missed,” he said.
In a reply to the reported criticism of not inviting opposition leaders to the PBD, Ravi said that it is the duty of the state government to invite opposition leaders.
“There is no political colour to this meet. Opposition MPs P Rajeev and T N Seema were present for the meet.”