People around the world migrate to different places in search of a job for their living, leaving their homeland and beloveds behind. Their sole intention is to earn money to lead a secure life that has financial stability. They spend most of their lives there and reach back to their hometown once they get old or retired. When they come back most of them suffer the lack of a source that brings them income and also becomes unable to start earning from their own place. Many families have been affected by this where they don’t find a way to gain money after returning back from abroad resulting in severe poverty.
Realizing such circumstances, Kerala State came forward with a unique initiative, the first of its kind in the country, to set up a welfare fund to provide welfare schemes to Non-Resident Keralites (abroad) and Non-Resident Keralites (in India). The Pravasi pension scheme is a retirement program set up by the Kerala government to help Keralites that have gone outside the state for employment.
It focuses on the middle to low-income returning Keralites and ensures they have stability and security in retirement. the approved member contributes to the general pension account while working, and then gets a pension upon retiring. You are expected to make a monthly contribution once you’ve joined the Pravasi Pension Scheme. The pension then pays out a minimum of ₹2,000 a month in retirement. If you fail to make a contribution for more than 12 months, your account will be canceled. This can be renewed if you repay the missed payments.
Eligibility for acquiring a Pravasi Pension is that you must be between the ages of 18-60 and must qualify as one of the following:
1. Non-Resident Keralite working outside of India
2. Keralite who recently returned to Kerala permanently after being employed abroad for at least 2 years
3. Non-Resident Keralite who is working for at least 6 months in another state in India, and not in Kerala
You will also be required to pay a registration fee of ₹200 when submitting an application for the Pravasi pension to qualify. Without the registration fee, your application can not be processed.And if you hold the account for more than 5 years and have contributed continuously, your pension amount will increase by 3%.
Here are the steps for applying online:
1. Head to the Pravasi Kerala Website
2. Click on Services on the left side menu
3. Scroll down to Online Apply, this will open a new window
4. Click on New Registration
5. Accept and submit the NRK agreement
6. Follow the prompts for submitting an application online
Benefits to Member :
1. Pension to members and deemed members who remitted contributions to the Welfare Fund continuously for a period of not less than five years and who completed the age of Sixty years
2. Family pension on the death of a member or a deemed member who had remitted contribution for not less than five years.
3. Financial assistance on the death of a member due to illness or accident.
4. Financial assistance for medical treatment of the members affected with serious illnesses
5. Financial assistance for marriage of women members and daughters of the members and for maternity benefit to women members.
6. Financial assistance or loans or advances to members for the construction of dwelling houses or for the purchase of land and building or for the purchase of land or for the maintenance of the house.
7. Financial assistance for education including higher education for the children of members.
8. Self-employment assistance to reputed persons
9. Financial assistance to members incapacitated to attend work due to permanent physical disability
10. Financial assistance investment in any company or firm or co-operative society or institution constituted under the Act.
APPLY ONLINE: CLICK HERE
REGISTRATION Terms :CLICK HERE
REGISTRATION Forums : CLICK HERE
