Central help sought for Keralites

Kerala will seek help to ensure that people staying in West Asia without proper documents are repatriated soon.

Kerala will seek the central government's help to ensure that the people from the state staying in West Asia countries without proper documents be repatriated soon, said state Law Minister M Vijayakumar on Friday.

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"We have read in newspapers that all West Asian countries have now given a grace period for all those who do not have valid documents to return. The state government cannot do anything in the matter and hence we will now approach the central government," Vijayakumar told the state assembly.

The issue was raised by Left-supported legislator KT Jaleel.

All West Asian countries have allowed a grace period of nearly two months to those who do not have proper documents to leave the country without paying any fine.

Kerala has a record two million people in various West Asian countries and reports from these countries indicate that several people from Kerala were waiting for the grace period.