Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister A K Antony on February 7 requested Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to arrange for concessional fare to those returning from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the general amnesty offer of UAE government.

In a statement, he said most of these people listed as "illegal immigrants" had been cheated either by recruiting agents or sponsors and were toiling there to make a living. The state government was also taking steps to help them return.

He asked the Centre to provide facilities for the airline offering to fly the returnees home free of cost. The Shipping Corporation of India should also be asked to start services from Mumbai and Kochi to the Gulf to take back the immigrants, he said.

PTI