Akshaya centres to accept premium

Arjun Raghunath
The New Indian Express

THIRUVANATHAPURAM: The premium for the recently launched Non-Resident Keralites Welfare Fund could be soon remitted through the 2,000-plus Akshaya Centres across the State.
The NRK Welfare Fund Board would be signing a memorandum of understanding with the Akshaya project in this regard soon.
So far around 60,000 persons, including those currently working in foreign countries as well as other States in India and those who have returned from other States, have joined the scheme.
NRK Welfare Fund Board chief executive officer K T Balabhaskaran said that steps to collect the contributions to the NRK Welfare Fund through Akshaya Centres were in the final stages.
The MoU would be signed with Akshaya Director Korath Mathew in the initial weeks of September, he said.
"With the tieup with Akshaya, we hope to offer more convenience to the members of the welfare fund to remit their contributions. Even in the case of those working abroad, their relatives back home could make the payment through any of the Akshaya Centres that are spread across the State," Balabhaskaran said.
Akshaya Director Korath Mathew said the revenue of Akshaya entrepreneurs might increase considerably with the new tieup with NRK Welfare Fund Board. Akshaya Centres would be charging a service charge ranging between `5 and `15 per transaction from the members.
The monthly contribution to the welfare fund is `300 for those working abroad and `100 for those working in other Indian states as well as returnees.
The NRK Welafare Fund is also planning to introduce an online facility to help the NRKs join the scheme.
The Government had introduced the welfare scheme following a longpending demand by NRKs.
The NRK Welfare Fund Board is planning to launch a series of campaigns in foreign countries, especially in the Gulf countries, to attract more members to the scheme.
As per rough estimates, there are 20 lakh NRKs in the Gulf countries.
Various welfare schemes are being offered to the members by the Board.