The anticipated return of a large section of Keralites from the Middle East especially will pose a new trial for Kerala as the state is already giving shelter to a large number of migrants. Amid this crisis, this step is likely to pose a burden to the economy of the coastal state.
Kerala has the highest number of state-run relief camps for migrant workers. The state has 18,912 camps that house over 3 lakh migrant workers.
The Norka (Non-Resident Keralites Affairs) department had commenced the registration process at around 6 pm on Sunday and within an hour 25,000 had registered, government sources said.
Till Monday morning, over 1.5 lakh NRKs have registered, the maximum is from UAE is over 60,000.
The aged, pregnant women, children, critically ill patients, those with expired visas, and those who had gone abroad on visiting visas are among the large numbers of people who are waiting to return.
The people who want to return to the state have to first get themselves tested for COVID-19 in the respective countries, where they are and register after getting a negative certificate for the infection.
The registration is for arranging quarantine facilities in the state, if necessary, and not forgetting any priority on flight bookings, the sources said.
After the NRKs register themselves, the government would draw up a list on how to bring them back as per priority.
While the government has extended the nationwide lockdown until May 3, thousands of migrant workers will continue to endure the financial, physical, and emotional distress.
(With agency inputs)