Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Inaugurates the first meeting of Loka Kerala Sabha

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday convened the maiden meet of Loka Kerala Sabha (World Kerala Forum), an initiative from his ruling Left Front government to seek cooperation from non-resident Keralites (NRKs) for the development of the state.

The forum may become important for engagement with NRKs, especially at a time when remittances, which form almost one third of the state’s GDP, have been dropping largely owing to oil crisis in the Gulf nations, a popular destination for migrants from the state.

The forum is supposed to provide a roadmap for the government on matters ranging from the welfare of those who are overseas to the need for proper rehabilitation of returnees to the efficient management of remittance money.

The sabha will convene every two years. Renowned scientists MS Swaminathan, Prahlad Vadekkapad, and George Geevarghese, Asha Sarath, Shobhana , M.A Yusuf ali are among those in the list of participants on the first day.

Thrust areas in which the State seeks global expertise are fiscal management, robotics, molecular chemistry, organic farming, water conservation, nanotechnology, agriculture, biotechnology and renewable energy.