GRA submits request to Dr. Arati Krishna requesting financial assistance for retired Gulf workers
Mangaluru: The Deputy Chairperson of Karnataka NRI Forum, Dr. Arati Krishna, was met by a delegation from the Mangaluru Gulf Retirees Association (GRA) during her visit to the city. The delegation, led by the Association's President Hamza Mittur, submitted a request regarding financial assistance for retired Gulf workers facing health and educational challenges.
The petition highlights the plight of many individuals who, after working in small jobs in Gulf countries and contributing to the state's foreign exchange earnings, now struggle with health issues and lack financial resources for their children's education. The delegation pointed out that the state of Kerala annually provides grants of Rs. 350 crore to non-resident Indians for various projects, including pension schemes, health insurance, accident insurance, and scholarships for children.
The Gulf Retirees Association also requested her to take up this matter with the Hon'ble Chief Minister and request him to consider similar measures for Karnataka's non-residents and retirees in the upcoming state budget.
The delegation included Vice President Salih Koya Thangal, Satish Kumar Bajal KSA, Mohammad Hussain, Vice President Adam Beary, Secretary Jamaluddin, Treasurer Bawa Abdul Khader, Secretary Yusuf Aladka, and Advisors Sahul Hameed Thangal and Mohammad Beary Bollai.
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Will continue to keep tab on development work in Bihar: Nitish to JD(U) MLAs
Patna (PTI): JD(U) president Nitish Kumar on Monday told party legislators that he will continue to keep a tab on the development work in Bihar despite having given up the chief minister's post a week ago.
Kumar addressed a meeting of the legislative party at 1, Anney Marg, which is the official residence of the chief minister and which the JD(U) supremo, now a Rajya Sabha MP, had occupied for nearly two decades.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, JD(U) MLC and spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said, "Our party leader has said that except for sessions of Parliament, which would require his presence in Delhi, he will spend his maximum time in Bihar."
"Nitish Kumar told us that he will ensure that the good work done while he was in power continues under the new government, in which the JD(U) is an important partner. To keep a tab, he will tour the state in due course," Neeraj Kumar said.
The JD(U) spokesperson was asked about speculations that the meeting had been convened to decide on the role to be assigned to Nishant, the party supremo's son, who joined the JD(U) last month, but has declined to accept a ministerial berth in the Samrat Choudhary government.
"There is no confusion about the role of Nishant, who has been accepted by the party as the leader of the future. In any case, there was no discussion on him today," Neeraj Kumar said.
Nitish Kumar has been authorised by the legislators to decide on choosing the legislative party leader, he added.
Among those present at the meeting were Union minister and former JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh 'Lalan' and Deputy Chief Ministers Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and Bijendra Prasad Yadav.
Interestingly, don turned politician Anant Kumar Singh, who represents Mokama assembly seat, claimed after the meeting that MLAs were asked by the supreme leader to try and win "200 seats in the next elections".
"Nitish Kumar ji told us that he will now be more easily available for party workers and general public. He also said that he will extensively tour the state and asked us to work hard so that the party wins 200 seats in the next elections", said Singh, who is often in news for putting his foot in the mouth.
The Bihar assembly is 243-strong and the JD(U)'s current tally is 85, four less than ally BJP, which is the single largest party.
The JD(U)'s best-ever performance was in 2010, when it had contested 142 seats and won 115 of these. It was also the highest tally for any single party since Bihar's truncation in 2000, until when Jharkhand was part of the state and assembly had 324 seats.
