House panel favours dept for non-resident Kannadigas' affairs

A legislature committee has recommended that the state government constitute an agency on the lines of  Department of Non-Resident Keralites Affairs to redress the grievances of non-resident Kannadigas in India and abroad.

The committee on Welfare of Backward Classes and Minorities headed by the Congress MLA J R Lobo has pointed in its report that Department of Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NORKA) set up in 1996 is successfully functioning as an interface between the non-resident Keralites and the Kerala government.

A similar department should be set up by the Karnataka government for addressing the problems of non-resident Kannadigas (NRKs) besides safeguarding their rights.

The panel has suggested that the proposed department should open centres in major cities across the country, providing attestation facilities of educational qualification documents, certificates of birth and death, residence, marriage certificates of NRKs among others.

The committee has suggested that a job portal be set up providing details of employment opportunities abroad. Other suggestions include setting up of a relief fund for rendering immediate assistance to NRKs in need, issue of photo ID cards to NRKs and promotion of regional development with their participation.

The panel has recommended that the government set aside Rs 50 crore in the forthcoming budget for the proposed department.