Budget flights for Keralites in Gulf: CM

Kochi, Aug 4: Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan today said the government is planning to start 'budget flights' for the Keralites working in the Gulf countries.

Addressing a gathering after inaugurating the fifth Global Conference and International Youth Festival here, the Chief Minister said the government was in touch with the Centre and the flights would start operating shortly from Kochi to the UAE and other destinations in the Gulf.

The goverment had decided to start 'budget flights' considering the high air fare for passengers travelling in the Gulf sector, he added.

He said procedures would be simplified and expedited to transport the bodies of those who died in the Gulf countries to the home state.

Mr Achuthanadan said the cabinet would decide on reducing the fees for NRI students, which had been pegged at five times the fee for local students in the Self-Financing College Regulation Act 2006, passed recently.

UNI