SC refuses to consider plea for rehab package for NRIs

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a PIL by an organisation, 'Kerala Pravasi Sangham' for a direction to the Centre to frame proper guidelines to formulate rehabilitation package to all those who returned from abroad.

A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and B R Gavai pointed out that the government has already started evacuating people from abroad since May 7.

Senior advocate P V Surendranath, appearing for the petitioner, contended that lakhs of people were stranded but the help was reaching to few thousand only.

"Let the government decide where to start. Everyone wants his say on COVID-19 situation," the bench said, declining to consider the plea.

The PIL sought a direction to the Centre to set up a 'special purpose fund' for utilising approximately 15% of foreign remittances by Indian citizens living abroad for financial aid of the people in view of the exponential increase in the number of COVID-19 patients.

The petition filed by advocate Deepak Prakash contended that the Union government should also utilise the Indian Community Welfare Fund at all India missions to meet the expenditure for providing proper welfare and healthcare amenities to all distressed citizens.

Seeking speedy evacuation and repatriation of Indian citizens, the petitioner-organisation through its general secretary K V Abdul Khader pointed out that as per the RBI, a total of Rs 4,47,586 crore has already been pumped in our financial system solely by foreign remittances as foreign remittances. Among this, 19% contribution is by people from Kerala.

"For curbing the spread of COVID-19, various countries imposed lockdown in the month of March, rendering temporary suspension of workplaces and employment. This has caused widespread disruption in the lives of Indian citizens at home and abroad," it said.

The petitioner also submitted that it was a reasonable expectation of people that their lives and health would be protected by utilising the money they brought into the country.

It also said that the lives of various Indian migrant citizens were in danger in the wake of lockdown in several gulf countries and they were forced to quarantine in labour accommodation camps, which are notoriously overcrowded without adequate water and sanitation facilities, making them susceptible to the virus.