A Model State? Kerala, India

Kerala, a state in the south of India may provide a novel example of the benefits of emigration and immigration. The Economist reports:

Kerala earned almost 20 billion rupees ($500m) from foreign tourists in 2006 (the latest year for which figures are available) and about 245 billion (in the same year) in remittances from Keralites working abroad, 89% of whom go to the Gulf. The state has an astonishing 24.5 emigrants per 100 households. Kerala’s per capita output is one of the lowest in India, but its per capita expenditure is one of the highest.

Kerala’s emigration policy has been a model for the rest of India. It was the first state to set up a department for non-residents. It has started offering non-resident Keralites (NRKs) identity cards, which also provide social insurance, covering accidents and repatriation of the dead.