Report: Shodhan Prasad
Dubai, Apr 24: The NRI Forum - government of Karnataka is setting up the Karnataka NRI Forum – UAE under the dedicated leadership and guidance of chairman Siddaramaiah, chief minister of Karnataka and Dr Arathi Krishna, deputy chairman of KNRI Forum. The proposed Karnataka NRI Forum, UAE will be inaugurated and graced by Siddaramaiah on Friday, April 28 at 3 pm in the auditorium of Indian Consulate, Dubai along with the delegation from the government of Karnataka comprising U T Khader, minister for food and civil supplies, Dr Arathi Krishna and diplomats of Karnataka government.
Consul General of India Vipul will grace the occasion as guest of honour along with Padmashree Dr B R Shetty who is the honorary president of the Forum.
The official programme will begin at 3 pm with various cultural programmes performed by the children of NRI Kanndigas and around at 5 pm, the formal inaugural function will commence, during which the dignitaries will inaugurate the proposed 'Karnataka NRI Forum – UAE'. All the presidents and leaders of various Karnataka-based organization’s in the UAE, leaders from neighbouring Gulf states Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and well-known business community leaders are invited to attend this function.
In view of the diplomatic entry regulations at the Consulate General of India in Dubai, the guests and the attendees are requested to carry their valid Emirates ID/passport along with the official invitation while attending inaugural ceremony. Though it is an open invitation to all Kannadigas in the UAE, the entrance is limited to those holding the above documents in order to accommodate the invitees with the limited seats in the Consulate auditorium. One can also liaise with their respective organizational heads or the representatives of the proposed Karnataka NRI Forum executive board members and collect their invitations.
Those who wish to attend this inaugural function may also contact Sadan Das on 050 7576238 for the official invitation.
About Karnataka NRI Forum - UAE
The proposed official Karnataka NRI Forum UAE (under the aegis of NRI Forum – government of Karnataka) is a new cell of NRI Forum, government of Karnataka formed under the chairmanship of Siddaramaiah, chief minister of Karnataka who has consented to elect Kannadiga Praveen Kumar Shetty as the working president to lead the Forum in UAE. Under the leadership of Praveen Shetty, several meetings were held in Dubai to form an executive board of the Forum with very many respected distinguished Kannadigas from various sects of Karnataka residing in the UAE who unanimously consented to hold the portfolios of the Forum. Sarvothama Shetty, Jospeh Mathias, Dr Kaup Mohamed and Harish Sherigar are the vice presidents of the Karnataka NRI Forum UAE while all others are the executive board members with a total strength of 25 members.
The Karnataka NRI Forum UAE is inspired by the activities of NORKA, an NRI cell for Keralites and will carry on its duties likewise.
Objectives
The clear, transparent and main objective of Karnataka NRI Forum - UAE will be to work under the guidelines of NRI Forum - government of Karnataka in order to encourage NRIs to invest in industries, projects and research in Karnataka, develop programmes of social, economic spheres in the state of Karnataka and promote the well-being and welfare of the NRI Kannadigas in the UAE. This will be a unique opportunity to all the Kannadigas to promote NRI community from the state of Karnataka and provide aid to the needy NRIs of the UAE under the regulations and cooperation of the UAE authorities, Consul General of India in Dubai/ Indian Embassy and the government of Karnataka.
Role of KNRI - UAE
The main aim of the Forum is to assist NRIs of Karnataka residing in the UAE; simplify their reach with the benefits they are entitled from the host - government of Karnataka under the NRI Forum Karnataka, India.
The following are some of the activities enlisted for initiation for the development of the NRI Kannadigas based in the UAE:
* To prepare a comprehensive database of all NRI’s from Karnataka State residing in the UAE and submit to the government of Karnataka.
* To identify concerns and problems faced by NRI’s in UAE with the government and provide protection as well as providing aids whenever required.
* To provide protection and necessary assistance to those NRI members family back home in Karnataka.
* To assist those Kannadigas who untimely lose their job in the UAE and wish to relocate back in their home town envisaging their basic needs on humanitarian grounds.
* To enable the Children of NRI’s simplify the entrance procedure for higher studies in Karnataka and see that all conditions are simplified to get admissions in the Colleges/Universities back home.
* To request government of Karnataka to allow children of NRI’s in UAE to appear for common entrance tests for their University seats in the UAE itself.
* To assist the NRI’s at the time of opening up new ventures in Karnataka in getting easy loans with flexible installments and affordable interest rates.
* To simplify the process of getting PAN CARD, ID CARDS, RATION CARDS etc., for NRI’s within their brief visit to their home town.
* To arrange insurance protection to all Kannadiga NRI’s residing in UAE through government of Karnataka
* To assist all Kannadiga NRI’s in availing the benefits of the State government in a simplified manner legally.
* To assist investors in promoting industries in Karnataka as part of the development projects
* To assist NRIs in promoting Information Technology management and research and disseminate knowledge and skills for the development of the Karnataka.
* Any other matters which may be considered from time to time according to the needs.
All the NRI Kannadigas residing in the UAE are invited to be a part and parcel of this Karnataka NRI Forum UAE by registering their names with the Karnataka NRI Forum UAE so that the cell will have complete information which may enable easy assistance to put forth to the government of Karnataka when needed. Information about the registration can be availed through the leaders of various organizations in the UAE and from the representatives of the executive board of Karnataka NRI Forum UAE.
The Forum has also informed that during the inaugural ceremony, all Kannada associations' heads would have the opportunity to greet CM Siddaramaiah by presenting only bouquets of their choice but no memento, shawl, gifts of any sort are allowed. All the associations will have the privilege of asking questions related to NRI issues pertaining to the state, which will be answered by the CM provided those questions are sent to the Forum well in advance as requested.
About Praveen Kumar Shetty
Karnataka NRI Forum UAE will execute its role as per the guidance of the main body of NRI Forum Karnataka based in Bengaluru, India as briefed by the proposed president Praveen Kumar Shetty and general secretary Prabhakar Ambalthare during their recent meet.
Praveen Shetty also mentioned that the executive board of Karnataka NRI Forum in association with special standing committees will work for the benefit of all the NRI Kannadigas based in the UAE for their socio economic development without any type of discrimination based on the demographic characteristics.