Kerala govt urged to start thrift campaign

Kerala govt urged to start thrift campaign

By our correspondent

29 July 2007

TRIVANDRUM — The Pravasi Bandhu Welfare Trust, a Dubai-based charitable trust working for the welfare of Indian expatriates working in Gulf counties, has urged the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs to launch a campaign to create awareness among their kin in the country on the need for controlling expenses.


A Press statement issued by Trust chairman K.V. Shamsudheen at Calicut said this was the only practical solution to the crisis faced by the non-resident Indians on account of declining wages, rising living costs and the sudden appreciation in the value of Indian rupee. “The expatriates can lead a comfortable life when they return home only if they save a portion of their earnings. Unfortunately most of them are unable to save anything now due to reckless spending by their family members. Many even borrow money to meet the mounting demands from home,” Shamsudheen said.

Saving habit

He said that the campaign undertaken by the Trust in the Gulf had made the NRIs realise the need for cultivating a saving habit. Many of them are now ready to save a part of their earning for the future. The effort will succeed only if they get the cooperation of their family members,” he added.

Shamsudheen has urged the Kerala government to encourage unemployed youths to take up jobs available within the state instead of promoting migration. He said some of the jobs remaining without takers in the state were much more paying than what similar jobs fetch in some of the Gulf countries now.

“The youths are nurturing Gulf dreams because of the glittering pictures of Gulf life presented by the media. They are far from reality. A youth coming to Gulf after paying Rs100,000 to Rs200,000 for a visa will not be able to recover his cost under the present salary structure,” he said.

Many of the new job seekers are spending hefty sums on visa believing the false picture given by the recruiting agents about salary and working conditions. They fall into depression once they realise the realities.

Suicide cases

Shamsudheen has attributed the increasing incidents of suicide among Indian expatriates as a result of the depression and other mental problems. The suicide cases have been witnessing a steady increase year by year.

In 2004 there were 70 cases, in 2005 it increased to 84 and in 2006 it was 100. He says that the number was likely to go up in 2007 as the expatriates were grappling with many new problems.

Shamsudheen has urged the Overseas Indian Affairs Ministry to conceive a campaign to cultivate a mindset for thrift and investments among the expatriates and their kin in collaboration with the state governments.