THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Assembly has unanimously adopted the Non-Resident Keralites’ (NRK) Welfare Bill providing for pensions and other benefits for overseas contract workers as well as those who work in other Indian states.
The bill proposes constitution of a welfare fund and promotion of companies, cooperatives or other organizations for their welfare, Labor Minister PK Gurudasan told the state assembly piloting the bill.
The welfare scheme under the legislation covers the nonresident Keralites and their dependents. Overseas Keralites becoming members of the fund are to pay a monthly contribution of 300 rupees while Keralites employed in other parts of India need pay only 100 rupees a month.
“There are some four million Keralites working abroad and in other parts of the country,” the minister said. “Those residing in the metropolitan cities and overseas will be the major beneficiaries of the scheme that intends to provide pension and other benefits to NRKs above 60 years of age”.
A corpus will be formed with contributions from the government, unclaimed funds of NRKs left with the federal agencies and donations. All NRKs aged between 18 and 55 are eligible to become members of the welfare fund.
“Keralites who have obtained visas to migrate and those residing in other Indian states for a fixed tenure for employment and planning to continue there can become members of the scheme”.
About 20 percent of the contribution would be for pension scheme. Loans would be given for emergency purposes like medical treatment, ex gratia in the case of death of members and for marriage of women members.
Meanwhile, India’s first Migrant Resource Center (MRC) started functioning in Kochi. The center has been set up by the International Organization for Migration in association with the federal Ministry for Overseas Indian Affairs.
The center offers counseling services on a walk-in basis for anyone in need of help besides operating a helpline giving information on a variety of issues including job opportunities abroad, doubts on emigration and other procedural formalities and the cost for undertaking the journey.
The credentials of the recruiting agents and the prospective foreign employer can also be verified at the center where materials like handbook on emigration formalities and brochures of job opportunities abroad are available.
The center operates from Putherikal Building on Market Road in downtown Ernakulam. Its service will be available between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. The help line numbers are 0484 — 2372040, 2372044.
The IOM has also plans for rehabilitating the victims of human trafficking through economic rehabilitation including micro-credit assistance to set up viable business enterprises or employment opportunities, capacity building and various trainings in entrepreneurial and marketing skills.
In addition, it provides psychosocial counseling for the overall well-being of the individuals concerned. The project also envisions the development of a module in the local language for promoting peer education among the survivors on legal issues for raising awareness.
IOM and the government of India recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding for creating platform for the joint implementation of programs and activities enhancing the management and facilitation of overseas employment of Indian workers worldwide. This includes the joint and immediate implementation in India of an IOM program that promotes both regional dialogue and programs aimed at enhancing managed labor mobility.
Under this program, IOM and the MOIA will jointly create labor mobility management projects. The overseas workers resource center to disseminate information on legal opportunities for potential overseas workers and the implementation of mass information campaigns form part of the MoU.
