Thousands of people from Kerala works and make living outside Karala, most of them work out of country. The migration for work due to lack of employment opportunity has been the trend since couple of decades in Kerala. Most of these people are middle class or lower middle class income groups. Many of them face financial problems while they are working in Gulf & other foreign countries also when they return back home in Kerala. To cultivate the habit of savings which can help them post retirement or during financial problems, the Government of Kerala has setup a welfare board and fund for non-resident Karalites (NRKs / NORKA).
Kerala Pravasi Welfare Board (KNRKWB):
- The board constituted by the the government of Kerala
- It works for the welfare of the non-resident Keralites
- The board has launched numerous schemes for Keralites working abroad or out of the state
- The board has created a Welfare Fund of the people of Kerala
- The Welfare Act was passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 2008
- At present more than 2 lakh, 25 thousand people have become member of the board
Kerala Pravasi Welfare Board Membership Eligibility:
- Non-resident Keralites can register for the KNRKWB membership
- The age group of the member should be between 18-60 years
- NRKs who are working abroad
- Non-resident Keralites who worked for more than 2 years out of Kerala and came back and settled in Kerala
- NORKAs who are working in India but out of Kerala state
Kerala Pravasi Welfare Board Membership Fees: Rs. 200
Kerala Pravasi Welfare Board Membership Benefits:
- Pension to all those members who contributed monthly to the Welfare Fund continuously for the tenure of five years and who completed sixty years of age
- Family pension to the family of the member who contributed monthly for the period more than 5 years
- Financial assistance to the family of the member when the member dies due to illness or accident
- Financial assistance for critical illness treatment
- Financial assistance for marriage of the daughters of the members
- Financial assistance or loan for construction of houses or purchase of land
- Financial assistance for education of member`s children
- Assistance for self employment for members
- Financial assistance in case of physical disability
Kerala Pravasi Welfare Board`s Welfare Schemes for NORKAs:
The Government of Kerala formed the non-resident Keralites welfare fund in 2008. The law was passed in the Kerala state assembly and under the welfare fund many schemes for the welfare of the scheme is launched:
- Pension Scheme:
- The scheme provides financial assistance of Rs. 2,000 to the non-resident Keralites
- Eligibility: Non-resident Keralites working in abroad, working out of Kerala but in other states in India and Keralites who returned to the state are eligible for the scheme
- How to apply? NORKAs need to register for the scheme and pay monthly contribution of Rs. 200 to the welfare fund till the age of 60 years
- Family Pension Scheme:
- In case the person who took up the pension scheme and made monthly contributions but is deceased, his family members gets the pension under the scheme
- Eligibility: Family member of the deceased pension scheme contributor
- Pension scheme for Invalids:
- Pension scheme for the contributing members who got some sort of disability and not able to pay further
- Eligibility: Contributor who payed for more than 3 years to the welfare fund and is now disabled
- To get the pension the disabled contributor needs to produce the certificate from the doctor
- Application form (Form No. 5)
- Financial assistance scheme for the dependents of deceased members scheme:
- Finance assistance is provided to the dependents of the deceased members who contributed to the welfare fund
- The financial assistance of Rs. 50,000 is given to the dependents of the deceased
- Financial assistance for medical treatment scheme:
- Financial assistance of Rs. 50,000 is given to the contributing member suffering due to critical illness
- Eligibility: Only contributing members are eligible for the scheme provided he is not getting any other government financial assistance
- Application Form for Financial Assistance for Medical Treatment of the Members Affected with Serious Diseases
- Accident cum Death and Health Insurance Scheme:
- The scheme is subject to availability of funds
- The scheme provides financial assistance to the contributor`s member dependents in case of accidental death and also for medical treatment
- Eligibility: Only contributing members and their dependents are eligible for the scheme
- Application form of Death Assistance & instruction
- Marriage assistance scheme:
- The scheme which provides financial assistance to the contributing member for wedding in their family
- The financial assistance of Rs. 5000 is given to the contributing members provided they are paying monthly contribution for at least 3 years
- The financial assistance is given under the marriage assistance scheme only twice
- Application Form for Marriage Assistance
- Scheme for Payment of Financial Assistance for Maternity
- The maternity scheme applicable to the female member of the welfare board
- They are given financial assistance during meternity
- The financial assistance of Rs. 3000 is given to them to take care of maternity expenses
- The assistance is given only twice
- Eligibility: The female contributing member should have paid monthly contribution for at least two years
- Application Form for Maternity Benefit
- Scheme for Payment of Educational Grant:
- The children of NORKAs are eligible for financial assistance for education
- Eligibility: To be eligible the contributing member should have paid for more than 2 years
- The assistance is given for the higher studies
- ITI/ITC and post graduate professional courses are eligible under the scheme
- Application Form for Educational Grant
- Scheme for Payment of Loan for Housing & Self Employment
- The board too has scheme under which financial assistance is given to buy or construct houses, buy land and setup small businesses
- Eligibility: Only those contributing members who have paid their monthly contributions for more than five years are eligible
Kerala Pravasi Welfare Board Helpline/Toll-Free Number: 1800 425 3939 / +91 471 2785500
More details & references:
- Kerala Pravasi Welfare Board: pravasiwelfarefund.org
- KNRKWB Kerala Pravasi Welfare Board: pravasikerala.org
- Online registration
- Online subscription & payment
- Online registration status
- Online identity card
- Online Amsadayam Card