NORKA
In order to ensure the welfare of the Non Resident Keralites,
redress their grievances and safeguard their rights that NORKA,
the Non Resident Keralites Affairs Department was set up by
the Government of Kerala in 1996. Since then, NORKA has been
playing a vital role in the lives of NRKs, supporting them in
times of need and lending them a helping hand in every possible
means.
NORKA-ROOTS
Norka-Roots is the field agency of the Department of NORKA,
set up in 2002. It acts as an interface between the Non-Resident
Keralites and the Government of Kerala and a forum for addressing
the NRKs’ problems, safeguarding their rights and rehabilitating
the returnees.
Chairman:
Shri. V.S.Achuthanandan
Chief
Executive Officer: Dr. V.K. Baby IAS
Vice
Chairmen:
Shri. M.A.Yusuffali
Shri.V.K.C.Mammadkoya Ex MLA
Director
Board Members
Shri. T.K. Manoj Kumar IAS
Shri. M.A.Yusuffali
Adv. C.K. Menon
Shri. Alexander Vadakkedom
Dr. M Anirudhan
Shri.V.K.C.Mammadkoya Ex MLA
Shri. A.K.Moosa Master
Shri. Manjalamkuzhi Ali MLA
Shri. K.T.Jaleel MLA
Shri. K.K.Sankaran
General Manager: Shri. K.T.Balabhaskaran
MAJOR OBJECTIVES
· Welfare of NRK's
· Heritage village for parents of NRK's
· Promotion of Malayalam language and culture
· Cultural exchange programme between the natives and
Malayalees settled abroad.
· Promotion of regional development with the active participation
of NRK's
· Social Security Network for NRK's
· A relief fund for rendering immediate assistance to
NRK's in need.
· Organization of annual meets for NRK's
· Resettlement and reintegration of NRKs returning to
Kerala.
· Employment mapping
· To facilitate the creation of a high calibre human
resource pool.
· Upgrading of skills of jobseekers
· Data Bank of NRK's
· Channelising investments to the State
· Prevention of illegal recruitment
PRESENT ACTIVITIES
Santhwana
For
extending financial help to BPL NRKs in exceptional cases of
extreme financial needs to meet funeral expenses, marriage expenses,
medical expenses etc. for
more details (click here)
Chairman
Fund
A
financial assistance for the deserving NRK/NRK family members
to meet funeral and medical expenses. more....
Karunyam
A scheme for extending financial assistance for the repatriation
of the mortal remains of the NRK who expire abroad or in India
outside Kerala.
The assistance will normally be onetime grant and reimbursed
after the original payment made by the applicant. The deceased
NRK should be residing or working abroad and have a valid Indian
passport. The NRK within India should have stayed in other state
for employment for a minimum period of two years. The assistance
from the fund is to be made available to the persons of extreme
financial distress and the relative of the NRK does not have
any avenue of help. The maximum amount recommended for the repatriation
of the mortal remains from abroad is Rs. 50,000/- and Rs. 10000/-
from within India. Application
Form and Guidelines
Certificate Authentication Centres
For attesting the educational certificates of job seekers going
abroad. HRD, MEA and Embassy attestations are obtaining from
a single office. At present there are three attestation Centres
in Kerala at Trivandrum, Ernakulam and Calicut. more...
NRK Identity Card- project
The government of Kerala has entrusted NORKA-ROOTS to issue
photo identity cards for the non-resident Keralites working
for a minimum of 6 months in a foreign country. The ID Card
will be issued to all the NRK’s working abroad across
the globe. The ID Card will be used as a base material for long-term
policy formulation of Government. more
details...
Data Bank of NRKs
A sector wise Data Bank of NRKs is under preparation.
Help to Trace the Missing Keralites
It is found that a large number of Keralites are reported to be missing abroad. The reason for missing may differ from case to case. Some of them may be put to jails for dereliction of proper documents or some offences. Because of the relative's inability to follow through, most of them remain missed invariably.
As a nodal agency for the cause of NRKs, Norka-Roots cannot sit tight-handed in such a situation. So we would like to join the relative's plight to trace the missed ones abroad using the help of Government and other agencies.
It is decided that the relatives of near ones should report Norka-Roots the missing of the expatriate as soon as it is confirmed. At the same time, the missing should be reported to the police also. The petitioners should forward the complaints to the Superintendent of Police in the respective districts. The petition to Norka-Roots should contain the FIR number, date, Police Station, Police Circle and District. We shall release the data of the missing person along with a photograph to the public through media once we get the report of confirmation from the District Police Superintendent.
To complain about the missing person download
the pro forma
Promotion of Malayalam language and
culture
To encourage the usage of Malayalam among the third generation
Malayalees, NORKA has set up a website www.entemalayalam.org
for online teaching.
Cultural Exchange Programme between
the Natives and Malayalees Settled Abroad
To describe more about the native land of Kerala among the third
generation NRKs.
Promotion of Regional Development with
the Active Participation of NRKs
To ensure that the NRKs contribute their mite for the development
of their villages, NORKA has launched a scheme called My Village,
My Dream.
Organisation of Annual Meets for NRKs
In order to gather active participation of NRKs in the development
activities of Kerala, we should maintain good relation and co-ordination
with them. NORKA Department is always taking the initiative
to discuss various issues of NRKs and provide assistance to
solve those problems abroad and in the home country. NORKA-ROOTS
has conducted annual meet of NRKs called ‘Samavayam’
in 2001, 2002 and 2005. The Marunadan Malayalee Meet (Samanvayam)
was held in 2003 and 2005. Similarly, the annual meet for returnees
(Samagamam) was held in 2002 and 2005. Keraleeya Pravasi Sangamam
was held in 2008. The annual meets organized have given a new
insight into the problems of NRKs, which will help in the formulation
of their welfare programmes.
Recognition of Malayalee Associations
Norka-Roots started recognition of Malayalee Associations functioning
in overseas and in other states in India having more than three
years of existence. more...
NORKA CENTRE
The Department of Non-Resident Keralites’ Affairs would
soon have a single office building named NORKA CENTRE to co-ordinate
the activities of the Department of NORKA, its field agency
Norka-Roots, and the attestation centre. The eight storeyed
building would be set up in 20-cent land near the Government
guest house at Thycaud in Thiruvananthapuram
Pre-Departure Orientation Programme
This programme is intended to make our overseas job aspirants
aware about general job situations abroad and to impart essential
information relating to visa, emigration rules, employment contract,
travel formalities etc. more
details....
Manpower Recruitment
Norka-Roots obtained recruitment license in the year 2006 from
Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs to recruit manpower from
India to overseas countries. We do the entire recruitment exercise
of sourcing candidates for the overseas employers as per their
stipulations and line up candidates for their selection process.
Norka News
NORKA-ROOTS is publishing a multi colour quarterly Newsletter
with a view to propagate the activities of NORKA & NORKA-ROOTS,
among the Non Resident Keralites residing in India and abroad.
It also helps prospective emigrants who explore the opportunities
for education and employment abroad. The first issue was released
on August 2009. It proposes to act as a wider platform for interaction
among NRKs.
Database
of Returnees due to Global Recession
In the wake of Global Economic Recession NORKA-ROOTS has already
initiated steps to build a reliable data bank of Keralites returning
from overseas for formulating policies for their rehabilitation.
A registration form for this purpose has been designed and published
in the website of NORKA-ROOTS facilitating online registration
of returned keralites. more
details....
Pravasi Welfare Fund
Kerala Government has now enacted a legislation called NRK Welfare
Act 2008. The Act ensures the welfare of non-resident Keralites
by providing for the constitution of a Welfare Fund on the basis
of a Non-Resident Keralites’ Welfare Scheme to grant relief,
pension, and other benefits to them. The age limits is 18yrs
to 55 yrs. More details are available in www.pravasiwelfarefund.org
Heritage
Village
Heritage Village, a new initiative for Non Resident Keralites
proposed to be set up at Kappil near Varkala with the active
involvement of NRKs and other departments of the state government.
more...
International
School
An International school of global standards for the children
of NRKs is being planned by Norka-Roots. It is being conceived
as a Centre of excellence for holistic learning. Steps are being
taken to finalise the site for the construction of the school
and also to prepare the draft project report and estimate.
contact
us:
NORKA-ROOTS
(Head Office)
Top Floor, Centre Plaza,
Vazhuthacaud, Thiruvananthapuram – 695014
URL: www.norka.gov.in
Phone: 0471 2332416, 2332452
Fax: 0471 2326263
e_mail: mail@norkaroots.net
NORKA-ROOTS
Regional Office
(Certificate Attestation Centre)
Lotus Villa
Sasthamangalam
Trivandrum
Phone: 0471 2317950, 2317951
e_mail: cactvm@norkaroots.net
NORKA-ROOTS Regional Office (Calicut)
(Certificate Attestation Centre)
2nd Floor, Zamorin Square
Link Road,Kozhikkode
Phone: 0495 2304882, 2304885
Fax: 0495 2304883
e_mail: cacclt@norkaroots.net
NORKA-ROOTS Regional Office
(Certificate Attestation Centre)
V.M. Complex
Building No. 41/1313 B
C.P. Ummer Road
Ernakulam - 35
Phone: 0484 2371830, 2371810
e_mail: cacekm@norkaroots.net
NORKA-ROOTS Regional Office
(NRK Development Office)
Travancore House
K.G Marg
New Delhi – 110001
Phone: 011 – 23383275, 23384369
Fax: 011 23389141
e_mail: norkadelhi@norkaroots.net
NORKA-ROOTS Regional Office
(NRK Development Office)
2nd Floor, Vazhi Plaza
Sector 17 Vashi
Near Vashi Ralway Station
Navi, Mumbai
Phone: 022 27880088
e_mail: norkamumbai@norkaroots.net
