Protective cover for NoRK returnees
The Budget envisages an integrated expatriate employment scheme for protecting NoRK (non-resident Keralites) returnees who lost their jobs due to the changing labour laws in the Gulf countries and the COVID-19 pandemic. An outlay of ₹100 crore is earmarked for the scheme.
In his Budget speech, Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac said priority would be given to the expatriate returnees in four schemes, namely Digital Employment Scheme for the Educated, Loan based Entrepreneurial Development Programmes, Service Providing Societies, and Marketing Network.
Skill development training would be provided to the returnees so as to help them go abroad again, he noted.