Kerala has a ministry for NRIs, Tamil Nadu has allocated Rs 400 crore for NRI welfare
The Karnataka government is taking steps to establish a dedicated ministry for Non-Resident Indian (NRI) Kannadigas, similar to the model in Kerala, reported timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
Arathi Krishna, the deputy chairperson of Karnataka’s NRI Forum, recently announced this initiative during a felicitation event by the Koppa Taluk Vokkaliga Sangha. She emphasized that the ministry would focus on the welfare of Kannadigas living abroad, which is estimated to be around 1.8 million.
Kerala has already implemented a similar ministry for NRIs, and Tamil Nadu has allocated Rs 400 crore for NRI welfare. Arathi mentioned that Karnataka had previously begun the process of setting up such a ministry under the Congress government, but the plan remained incomplete. The current government aims to see this initiative through to fruition.
In addition to the ministry, the NRI Forum plans to issue identity cards to NRI Kannadigas and organize a “NRI Pravasi Diwas,” bringing together Kannadigas from across the globe.
Arathi Krishna, the deputy chairperson of Karnataka’s NRI Forum, daughter of former minister Begane Ramaiah, also highlighted her contributions to her home constituency of Sringeri. She has successfully secured nearly Rs 20 crore for development projects and assured support for the Vokkaliga Sangha.
Arathi also highlighted the growing concern about fraudulent job offers, warning that many hackers and fraudsters lure job seekers with high-paying positions abroad. She shared a recent case where the forum intervened to rescue two individuals from Chikkamagaluru who were trapped in Cambodia.
She advised those aspiring to work abroad to seek guidance from legitimate sources, such as the forum or certified agents. According to her, such issues are less prevalent in countries like the U.S. and the U.K., where most immigrants secure professional jobs.
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