THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Over 1.6 lakh Non-resident Keralites have expressed their willingness to return to the state by registering themselves in less than 24 hours after the government started an online registration facility.
The demand is more from the United Arab Emirates and other Middle East countries. Norka-Roots, the official body of diaspora, has started the registration facility through www.norkaroots.org due to the situation arising out of COVID-19 pandemic, on April 26.
"There is a good response to the government's initiative. We have made adequate arrangement to ramp up the server to accommodate the traffic," said an officer of Norka-Roots. It is expected that around 3-5 lakh non-resident Keralites are expected to use the facility. The list of those registered would be handed over to the Central government to facilitate their safe return. The elderly, patients not due to COVID-19, children, pregnant women will get preference.
The state government has already written to the Prime Minister for operating special flights for Keralites stuck abroad. The government has made elaborate arrangement to quarantine people returning.