Published Oct 29, 2026 | 4:14 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 29, 2026 | 4:14 PM
Chief Minister VD Satheesan.
Chief Minister V.D Satheesan on Thursday, October 29, termed the high airfares charged to expatriates as “sheer plunder” and said the government would continue pressing the Centre to rein in what he described as the “exploitation” of Keralites working abroad.
Replying to an adjournment motion in the Assembly on the disruption of expatriate welfare benefits and the future of the Loka Kerala Sabha, Satheesan said the state had repeatedly taken up the airfare issue with the Union Government.
The CM informed that the state government had written to the Centre seeking intervention and that the Chief Secretary had recently convened a meeting of stakeholders.
The issue had been raised with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, he said, adding that MPs from Keralam had consistently highlighted the problem in Parliament.
“Airline companies are ruthlessly exploiting expatriates from Keralam. This must come to an end,” Satheesan said.
Many expatriates belong to ordinary working-class families and struggle to save enough to visit their homeland, often after spending years away from their loved ones, he said.
The cost of a single trip could wipe out much of their hard-earned savings, making it difficult for them to return home even once every year or two.
The chief minister said the present government’s position on airfare regulation remained the same as that of the previous LDF administration.
On the Loka Kerala Sabha, Satheesan said it had to be disbanded as it was not serving the purpose for which it was created. He stressed that the government would replace it with a stronger and effective mechanism.
The proposed arrangement would seek to provide expatriates with a platform to raise their concerns, encourage investment in the state, and help shift Keralam’s economy from dependence on remittances towards investment-led growth.
Turning to expatriate welfare benefits, Satheesan said more than ₹163 crore has been disbursed through the Expatriate Welfare Fund Board so far in 2026-27, while another ₹102 crore has been distributed as pensions.
The state government contributed ₹32 crore over the past five months to help sustain the payments.
He said the board’s membership has increased from 17,771 in 2020-21 to 1,00,495, but its income has failed to keep pace with the growing number of beneficiaries.
Against an average monthly income of ₹16.7 crore, its expenditure stood at around ₹35 crore.
The government would have to provide the necessary financial support to ensure that pension payments continued without interruption, he said.
The government would also explore ways to help returning expatriates generate sufficient returns from their investments to meet their living expenses, he said.
(Edited by Fayisa CA)
