Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 8 Billed as the country's first welfare scheme for the diaspora, the Kerala government and the Kerala Pravasi Welfare Fund (KPWF) on Saturday began an awareness campaign to promote the fund among the expatriates.

This fund was set up under the Pravasi Kerala Welfare Bill 2008 and is intended for the welfare needs of the economically backward among the diaspora.

Speaking to reporters after the first regional meeting of representatives of the various diaspora organisations here, KPWF chairman T.K.Hamza said that the fund's main features would be the pension scheme and other welfare schemes like assistance to set up self employment projects, financial assistance for the women for two child births, an insurance scheme and even an hospitalisation benefit scheme for the members.

"The minimum age of entry to this scheme is 18 years and the maximum age is 55. Another yardstick is that these people should have spent at least two years outside the country. Pension would be disbursed when the member reaches the age of 60," said Hamza, a former Communist party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) MP.

Keralites settled elsewhere in India can also become members.

"Online applications are now available for those who want to register and all have to pay a membership fee of Rs.200. Those interested in the pension scheme should contribute Rs.300 per month for five years while the Keralites within the country will have to pay Rs.100 every month. The minimum term that each member should contribute is five years, after which it is optional," Hamza said.

Even though there are more than two million non-resident Keralites, there could be at least half a million who will take part in the scheme.

"Today was the first awareness campaign meeting, now we will have two more regional meetings and then in all the district headquarters, then outside the state and then in the Middle East countries to promote the scheme," he said.

The state government has chipped in with Rs.3 crore and now Hamza is seeking the support of the central government and asking them to release a portion of the emigration deposit lying with the it, unclaimed as the depositors have misplaced the receipt.