Chandy promises problem redressal unit for NCR Malayalis

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Monday promised to start a unit of the Non-Resident Keralites Affairs department to look into issues pertaining to approximately 10 lakh Malayalis residing in the National Capital Region.

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Monday promised to start a unit of the Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NORKA) department to look into issues pertaining to approximately 10 lakh Malayalis residing in the National Capital Region. However,there was a condition all the 55-odd associations representing them would be required to come together and form a federation first.

After sitting through a two-hour panchayat of sorts at the Travancore Palace on Kasturba Gandhi Marg,where he listened to a barrage of petitions from representatives of about 25 associations,Chandy delivered the knock-out punch. I suggest you form a federation of these associations. I wont ask you to merge. I know there is no point in that appeal, he said as everybody around him chuckled.

I promise to start a unit of NORKA in Delhi on an experimental basis, he said,pausing for effect. …if you form the federation.

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NORKA,formed in 1996,was the first initiative by any government in the country to look into the welfare of its constituents living outside India. Of late,NORKA has been trying to help non-resident Keralites within the country too,and has a cell each in Delhi,Mumbai and Chennai. However,shortage of funds and personnel has limited their operations.

If past experiences are anything to go by,the future of the idea looks bleak. The Chennai-based All India Malayali Association and Federation of All India Marunaadan Malayali Associations do not see eye-to-eye.

Nevertheless,in one stroke,Chandy addressed the common theme of many memorandums when he elaborated on his governments plans for the Travancore Palace and Kapurthala Grounds. We are planning a heritage-cum-cultural centre here. There will be a 1,000-seater auditorium,open air theatre,food area,library block and an exhibition area, he said. There were many requests at the meeting for an Andhra Bhavan-style restaurant for Malayalis too.

These facilities,to be added to the eight-acre Travancore Palace during its Rs 4.1-crore renovation project,will augment the 100-room facility being planned at the 3.5-acre Kapurthala Grounds. There will be a 50-person capacity dormitory each at both sites.

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