THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, 14 July 2007 — The United Arab Emirates and the Kerala state government have formed a joint working group to promote investments in Kerala, the state’s Industry Minister Elamaram Kareem said.
The UAE government has nominated Younus Haji Al-Khoury, secretary, Ministry of Finance and Industry, Jamal Nasar Loutha, secretary, Industries, Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce Director M.A. Yousuf Ali, Dr. Hamad Nasar and Syed Abdullah Al-Roukha to be on the panel.
Kerala will be represented by Principal Secretary (Industries) T. Balakrishnan, Principal Secretary (Finance) Jose Cyriac, Secretary (Industries) P.H. Kurian, Infrastructure Kerala Limited Managing Director John Mathai and Kerala Infrastructure Development Corporation Managing Director A.S. Suresh Babu.
Kareem said the first meeting of the panel would be held here soon. “This is a major step toward attracting investments from the Gulf region to Kerala. The UAE is interested in petrochemicals and power sector as well as basic infrastructure development,” Kareem said.
More Budget Flights Sought
The Kerala government has asked Air-India Express, the low-cost subsidiary of the national carrier, to operate more budget services on the Kerala-Gulf sector to ease the seasonal rush.
Responding to a motion moved by Congress legislator C.P. Mohammed in the state assembly on the problems faced by Non-Resident Keralites (NRKs), Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan said the national carrier has been asked to operate more flights to help the expatriates who want to celebrate Onam with their families back home.
He said Roots-Norka, a company floated by the Kerala government’s department of NRK affairs (Norka) has got a license to streamline the recruitment of laborers to the Gulf. “We are aware of many people who have been duped by unscrupulous recruitment agents and now that Norka has got the license, we will be able to streamline recruitments,” he said.
Achuthanandan, who also holds the NRK portfolio, said his government was coordinating with the central government and Indian embassies in Middle East countries to improve the condition of NRK laborers.
“The UAE labor minister during a visit to Kerala early this year had said that the labor laws in his country were being modified. Norka has also begun a training center for all those going to the Gulf,” he said.
The chief minister said two officials have been deputed to help overstaying Keralites who have been permitted to leave the UAE under the general amnesty. India’s Consulate General has made elaborate arrangements for the return of the NRKs, he said, adding Kerala government officials would arrange travel facilities by preparing the necessary documents.