THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Central Government has conceded the demand for the inclusion of non-resident Indians in the voters' lists, chairman of NoRKA-ROOTS M. M. Hassan announced here on Saturday.

The chairman said the Centre would bring an Ordinance after the current Parliament session to amend the People's Representation Act for the purpose. It had accepted the draft amendment proposed by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in this regard.

After the amendment of the Act, overseas Indians would be able to get their names included in the voters list. They would be able to vote if present in the country at the time of elections.

Mr. Hassan said he would urge the Centre to expedite the matter so that overseas Keralites could vote in the forthcoming Assembly elections. It was during the `Samavayam' organised by NoRKA in 2001 that the demand for voting rights to overseas Keralites had been voiced for the first time. He said that a `NoRKA Centre' to house various facilities for non- resident Keralites would be constructed here at a cost of Rs.4 crores. It would have a business centre, guest rooms, videoconferencing facilities and a conference hall for use by NRIs, among other things.He demanded that the Civil Aviation Ministry and the Air-India should take steps to improve the services to the Gulf sector. Frequent cancellation of flights caused much hardship to passengers. Mr. Hassan said that the king of Saudi Arabia was expected to consider the clemency petition of Puthenveetil Noushad favourably. The Government was taking all steps to save him from cruel punishment. Many Malayali organisations were also extending a helping hand, he said. It would urge the Centre Indian embassies should engage law firms to help overseas Indians in legal matters.

Secretary (NoRKA) Jiji Thomson said that first batch of nurses and ayahs trained by NoRKA for overseas employment had completed their courses. It wanted to popularise the week-long training programme for ayahs, but finances were in the way.

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