View source for Department of Non-Resident Keralites Affairs

{{Short description|Kerala government agency}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2016}}
{{Infobox Government agency
| agency_name     = Department of Non-Resident Keralites Affairs of State of Kerala (NORKA ROOTS)
| nativename      = പ്രവാസി മലയാളി കാര്യ മന്ത്രാലയം
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| formed          = {{Start date and age|1996|12|06|df=yes}}
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| superseding     = 
| jurisdiction    = [[Kerala]]
| headquarters    = [[Thiruvananthapuram]], [[Kerala]], India
| employees       = 
| budget          = 
| minister1_name  = [[Pinarayi Vijayan]]
| minister1_pfo   = Minister for NORKA
| chief1_name     = [[T. V. Anupama]], IAS
| chief1_position = Secretary to Government
| chief2_name     = Ajith Kolassery
| chief2_position = CEO
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| website         = https://norkaroots.kerala.gov.in/
| footnotes       = 
}}

The '''Non-Resident Keralites Affairs ''' abbreviated as '''NORKA''' is a department of the [[Government of Kerala]] formed on 6 December 1996 to redress the grievances of [[Malayalis|Non-Resident Keralites]] (NRKs).<ref name="norka">{{cite news|url=https://www.norka.gov.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=25&Itemid=28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100126141049/https://www.norka.gov.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=25&Itemid=28|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 January 2010|accessdate=10 December 2009|title=NORKA profile}} </ref> It is the first of its kind formed in any [[India]]n state.<ref name="norka"/> The department was formed in an attempt to strengthen the relationship between the NRKs and the Government of Kerala and to improve the administrative framework.<ref name="norka"/> The field agency of NORKA is known as the ''NORKA Roots'', which was set up in 2002 to act as an interface between the NRKs and the Government of Kerala.<ref name="Norkaroots">{{cite news|url=https://www.norkaroots.net/Norka.htm|accessdate=10 December 2009|publisher=Govt of Kerala|title=Non-Resident Keralites' Affairs Department (NORKA),NORKA-ROOTS-A Profile}}</ref>
It also acts as a forum for addressing problems amongst non-resident Keralites, safeguarding their rights and assisting returnees.<ref name="Norkaroots"/>

Amidst the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], the NORKA-Roots portal facilitated registration from people all around the world to request to return to [[Kerala]]. The portal also allowed people stuck in different states of the country to register on their site from 29 April 2020.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

* [https://norkaroots.org/ Norka]
* [https://www.worldmalayaleecouncil.net/ World Malayalee Council]
* [https://www.myaima.org/ All India malayalee association (AIMA)]
* [https://www.samaoccitanie.org/ Sarva Malayalee Association France - Occitanie (SAMA Occitanie)]

[[Category:1996 establishments in Kerala]]
[[Category:Diaspora ministries]]
[[Category:Government agencies established in 1996]]
[[Category:Government departments of Kerala]]
[[Category:Kerala diaspora]]
[[Category:Organisations based in Thiruvananthapuram]]