Kerala readies employment opportunities for Nitaqat-hit

Following the tightening of labor laws in Saudi Arabia, the Indian state government of Kerala has outlined plans to help returning expats by arranging jobs and self-employment for them.
Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said: “We had a detailed presentation by the Non-Resident Keralite Affairs department on the various self-employment projects that these returning migrants can take up.”
He added that Norka would give next week the details of the self-employment schemes.
“I will also meet with the commercial banks’ representatives to see what sort of assistance they can provide for these projects,” he said.
He disclosed that he is going to call a meeting of the rich and influential businessmen who hail from Kerala but do businesses in the Middle East to see if they can provide employment to the Keralites returning from the Kingdom.
Chandy said there was speculation that a huge number of people would return from Saudi Arabia, but now that appears not to be true because not many Keralites have registered with the Indian Embassy there.
He thanked the Saudi authorities for “kindly agreeing to India's requests.”
Chandy said: “They have agreed that they will have no objection if those who are asked to leave return with proper documents and they (the migrants) are free to seek employment in other Middle East countries.”