Govt plans data bank for NRKs: CM

Thiruvananthapuram, June 19 (UNI) The Kerala government is taking steps to prepare a detailed data bank about Non-Resident Keralites (NRKs), Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan told the Assembly today.

Once the data bank was completed, the whole information about the NRK's would be made available with the Ministry of Indian Overseas Affairs, he said in a written reply to Ms J Arunthathy of the CPI(M).

Though the latest figure was not available, about 1.84 million Keralites were working outside the state, according to a census done by a city-based Centre for Development Studies in 2004.

He said the Union Government was seriously considering to make a comprehensive change in the Emigration laws to ensure the welfare of Keralites going abroad in search of jobs.

Mr Achuthanandan said the NORKA department was taking steps to bring the bodies of the Malayalees, who died while working in Gulf countries.

Stating that the government had taken note of unauthorised visa agents, the Chief Minister said already 106 cases had been registered and 41 people arrested in this connection this year.

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