Daijiworld Media Network - Dubai
Pics: Lloyd Gomes
Dubai, Apr 27: Chief minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah arrived in Dubai on Thursday April 27. He is in the UAE to inaugurate the Karnataka NRI Forum - UAE on Friday April 28.
The CM was accompanied by L K Atheeq, principal secretary to the Karnataka government, Govindaraj, parliament secretary and Mirza Mahady, officer on special duty to chief minister.
The CM, who landed at Dubai International Airport at 12.15 pm (local time), was given a warm welcome by leaders of the Kannadiga community in UAE.
KNRI - UAE forum president Praveen Shetty welcomed Siddaramaiah and other delegates with bouquets.
Speaking to daijiworld, Siddaramaiah said that he was happy to arrive in Dubai to inaugurate the KNRI Forum - UAE and extremely pleased to meet the Kannadiga community.
"I am confident that the new KNRI Forum - UAE will not only help the NRIs in Dubai but the entire Gulf," he added.
Siddaramaiah was also welcomed by Mohamed Ali Alomrani, protocol officer, ministry of foreign affairs, UAE, Prabhakar Ambalthere, general secretary, Karnataka NRI Forum, entrepreneur Harish Sherigar, James Mendonca, Raju Balakrishna, Council of Labor, India Council, Dubai, Syed Khaleel, members of Karnataka Sports Club, Girish Shetty, presient of Karnataka Sangha and others.
Siddaramaiah will inaugurate the KNRI Forum - UAE at the Indian Consulate on Friday April 28 at 3 pm. On Saturday April 28, he is scheduled to address the NRI business community in UAE.
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.