Thousands of Nitaqat-hit Keralites, who returned to the south Indian state due to violations of the Kingdom’s labor and residency laws, are seeking help from the Kerala government to get their shattered lives together.

“About 22,000 people who returned from Saudi Arabia, have registered with the state government seeking assistance to start self-employment programs,” said an official at the Non-Resident Keralites’ Affairs Department (NORKA), which acts as an interface between the Non-Resident Keralites and the Kerala state government for addressing their concerns and safeguarding their rights by rehabilitating the Gulf returnees.

These workers, having returned home after the Kingdom began streamlining the labor market under the Nitaqat program have registered with NORKA.

“NORKA has processed these applications and directed the applicants to attend a short-term training program, which was organized at the district headquarters on how to run a successful business or self-employment program,” a NORKA committee member here said.

He added that in order to help assist the returnees, their field agency NORKA-Roots has initiated steps to build a reliable data bank of Nitaqat hit workers returning to the state to ensure the proper implementation of various welfare schemes.

NORKA has opened an online registration for all those who wish to avail the government’s assistance scheme. “So far, we have received a total of 22,000 applications,” he said.

He added that the Keralites returning from the gulf due to job related issues can register their details online at the URL: http://nrkdatabank.norkaroots.net/returneeregistration.aspx.

Moreover, he said that the government has also announced a rehabilitation scheme for the Nitaqat returnees, which includes support to start their own business.

He further added that the government has also promised to provide a subsidy on both the capital and interest on short and long-term loans to help them in resettlement.

“The maximum cap on loans would be Rs.2 million (Indian rupees) and a 10 percent subsidy would be offered to all those who start an enterprise in agriculture, manufacturing, trading or the service sector,” he said.

He added that the government will start giving the loans from Dec. 1, 2014.