Palakkad: Jobs and businesses too are a casualty of the raging COVID-19 pandemic world over. In the last few years many Keralite expats have been returning from the Middle East owing to increasing nationalisation of jobs. As the process is likely to hasten as the Gulf economies too strain under the grip of the viral disease, Kerala government has already initiated measures to rehabilitate the returning natives.
For instance, the Supplyco, in coordination with the Department for Non-Resident Keralites Affairs - NoRKA - has come up with an initiative to help expatriates returning to Kerala after suffering job loss and with no means to earn a living.
(The Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited is popularly known by its brand name SUPPLYCO.)
Returnees are encouraged to start small-scale Supplyco stores for a living. As per the project, the returnees will have to be ready with the property, owned or leased. Articles will be supplied from Supplyco and Maveli stores. The Supplyco will give approval for the store only after carrying out an inspection of the building.
Supplyco chairman and managing director, Dr B Ashok, said that applications would be invited for the stores soon.
The norms mandate that the stores run by the returned expats need to function for a minimum of three years.
A profit of 8 to 10 per cent is expected to be made from the total sales.
Loans, at low interest rates, can be availed from the banks with the help of NoRKA.
Other features of the scheme
• A franchise-model will be followed.
• If there are two applicants for the same place, the person with prior experience gets the preference.
• No other store will be allowed to function in the 2km radius of one store.
• Articles will be distributed on the condition that the money would be paid within 30 days.
• Expat stores will not be allowed within 5km radius of the current Supplyco stores. The Supplyco currently has 1,600 stores and 500 supermarkets.
• Pulses, spices and Sabari brand products should be sold at the same rate as Supplyco outlets.
• It is estimated that around 60 per cent of the Gulf returnees will be jobless.
