THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Hundreds of Malayali students in different Gulf countries are shunted out of their schools because their parents could not pay tuition fees. Expatriates who raised the issue at the Loka Kerala Sabha called for the intervention of Kerala Government and the Norka-Roots. The hapless parents had lost jobs or faced drastic salary cuts due to the pandemic.
According to Vincent George, an Oman-based expatriate, about 45,000 Malayali children are studying in 20 schools in that country. “A school in Muscat has stopped 30 students from attending their classes. Many more schools have acted like this. Institutions cannot be blamed because the pandemic has pushed them into a big crisis. The NORKA-Roots can help the students by way of scholarships,” he said.
Shyni, who flew down from Qatar, said many children who were sacked from Indian schools there had taken admission in schools run by Pakistani nationals.
“But they are facing humiliation there. Fellow students bully them by calling “Modi Ka Bacha”, she said in a quavering voice. She also asked the government to provide legal assistance to failed entrepreneurs who landed up in jail. Some of them are languishing in jail for eight to nine years. The government should also extend help to their families, to meet the expenses of their accommodation, food and children’s education for at least one year, she said.
A comprehensive health insurance scheme was demanded by many participants. J Ratnakumar, Oman- based expatriate and global president of World Malayalee Federation, called for a comprehensive medical insurance scheme for expatriates. The scheme should help non-resident Keralites get immediate medical assistance in their country of work and specialised treatment or procedures in Kerala, he said. Dubai-based Rajan wanted the scheme to cover NRKs’ families living in Kerala.
Dammam-based NRK Biju called for extending the ex-gratia to the kin of Covid victims to NRKs who died in foreign countries as well. He said reservation should be given for the kin of such persons in recruitments made by Norka-Roots. He sought government’s intervention for better air connectivity between Saudi Arabia and the airports in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram.
Abdul Rauf, who works in Qatar, called for free treatment for NRKs at hospitals under the government and cooperatives. He urged MPs to raise various issues being faced by NRKs. For this, a committee can be formed with MPs and NRK representatives as its members. Youngsters in NRK families are finding government jobs in Kerala attractive.
The Kerala PSC should start examination centres abroad, he said. Bahrain-based C V Narayanan said NRKs are not getting prompt service at government offices ranging from village offices to the NORKA office. He called for raising the upper age for Pravasi pension scheme to 60. Sindhu, who came from Dubai, said several NRK returnees could not benefit from NORKA’s low-interest business loan offer. “Some of them who completed paper works were informed by banks that the loan would bear 12 pc interest as against the promised 6 pc and further subventions,” she said. The government panel which heard the NRKs included Revenue Minister K Rajan, Industries Minister P Rajeeve and Tourism Minister P A Mohammed Riyas.
Portraying Gulf rulers in poor light will hit NRKs
Abdu Rahiman, a Saudi-based NRK, raised apprehension over the political mudslinging in Kerala using the names of rulers of Gulf countries. He was referring to the revelations of gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh and the subsequent debates. “The media gave reports with photographs of rulers and their wives. This will affect NRKs. Government should convene a meeting and create awareness for the media and political parties,” he said.
CM skips LKS event for the second day
T’Puram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan skipped the delegate session of the Loka Kerala Sabha that began on on Friday, reportedly due to ill health. Pinarayi had kept away from the inaugural function of the global expatriate conference too on Thursday. Speaker M B Rajesh told the sabha that Pinarayi had skipped the event as doctors have advised him complete voice rest. The chief minister was slated to deliver the inaugural speech and table the approach document of the Loka Kerala Sabaha. In Pinarayi’s absence, Industries Minister P Rajeeve read out the approach document.