From psychological and social support to a proposal to set up cooperatives for expatriates, a webinar organised by Malayala Manorama discussed a slew of measures to rehabilitate Keralites returning from abroad in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The experts, from both government and private sectors, who spoke at the webinar exuded confidence that the state has immense opportunities for expats who are coming back.
Harikishore IAS, executive director of Kudumbashree, pivoted the webinar with the self-help mission's five-point proposals for the expats.
He said the Kudumbashree Mission was equipped to offer a psychological and social support to the expats, who may be depressed with the unfortunate turn of events that forced them to fly back home.
He said Kudumbashree has 350 community councillors to support the expats, their kith and kin.
He also said loans can be availed at subsidised rates spoke via the Yuvashree programme for potential entrepreneurs. The benefits of this project are available for the family members of a Kudumbashree member.
The Kudumbashree is also offering free skill training for expatriates below 35 years of age. For women, the age limit is 45.
"With the programme, they can either upgrade their skills or learn a new skill. We are offering 106 National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT) approved courses,” Harikishore said.
Kudumbashree can offer support to the expatriates by providing human resources support to those who want to set up new enterprises. He cited the emerging opportunities in healthcare sector to start new ventures.
Harikishore also suggested preparation of a panchayat-level profile of expats, which would make them more visible in the job market.
Sajith Sukumaran, COO, Kudumbashree National Resource Organisation, said the mission would be offering bridge courses for skilled labourers among the returnees who lack formal qualifications.
He said expatriates who have returned can contact the local community development society (CDS) for all assistance.
K Harikrishnan Namboothiri, CEO, NORKA Roots, spoke of the re-emigration and reintegration models that the agency was planning for the returnees.
He said the NORKA Project for Returned Emigrants is envisaged to make available seed capital funding of up to Rs 30 lakh for expatriates to start new ventures.
Namboothiri said orientation and sector-specific training will be offered to the returnees to improve prospects of self employment.
"We have to take in consideration not only their skills but their will also,” he said.
The need is to facilitate opportunities that suit their skills, expertise and attitude.
On the re-emigration model, the official said the returnee's skills need to be upgraded as per the changing dynamics of emigration. He cited the the need to learn new languages as an example.
A key suggestion made by him was the reintegration model, which aims to create clusters of returnees based on their skills and expertise so that they can start new ventures with a shared responsibility.
Making a call to redefine our dreams and the concept of industrial-based development, K Vasuki, IAS, director, Department of Agriculture Development and Farmers' Welfare, said expats should tap opportunities in the farming sector.
The state can certainly get back to self sufficiency in food production, she said. Farming can also be a great healing therapy for the returnees battling trauma.
Opportunities in agricultural production, value addition, marketing and urban farming have to be explored, she said.
Sharing the sense of positivity, Norka director Azad Moopen said both the
expatriates and the state should view the current crisis as an opportunity. He said lakhs of people may not come back as being projected.
Moopen shared the highly pragmatic idea of setting up cooperatives of returnees in each panchayat.
“The expatriates could fund these cooperatives which would help the returnees set up new enterprises.
The government has approved the proposal made by NORKA in this regard,” he said.
The cooperatives can engage in food processing, skill development, labour supply etc, he said.
He also suggested that the water available in Kerala has to be made an international brand.
From his experience and expertise in healthcare, Moopen, the founding chairman of Aster DM Healthcare, said Kerala should move from wellness tourism to medical tourism.
“The state should make use of the global praise it received for fighting COVID to rebrand it,” he said. He said those who know foreign languages, especially Arabic, and how to cook foreign dishes can find jobs in the medical tourism sector.
Baju George, MD, Overseas Keralites Investment and Holding Limited, suggested that many of the returnees can turn to micro exports because they know what is in demand in the countries they worked for years.
He said wayside amenities being set up in Kerala can employ a number of returnees. These complexes built with 74 per cent of investments by NRKs would have food courts and clinics etc.
S Shaji of State Level Bankers Committee said the like-minded returnees who share same kind of skills and entrepreneurial plans should form a cluster and launch joint ventures.
NORKA and similar agencies should give them entrepreneurial training and marketing strategies.
He assured that banks would not hesitate to give loans to an aspiring entrepreneur with a good project.
Rameshan Paleri, chairman, Uralunkal Labour Contract Cooperative Society Ltd, said the returnees can compensate the shortage of migrant labourers who have left Kerala.
“Lack of skills is a major concern in Kerala's workforce. The returnees are skilled and good entrepreneurs. We can make use of them,” he said.
Former additional chief secretary James Varghese moderated the webinar, sponsored by KLM AXIVA FINVEST LTD.
