The Government is actively considering granting of voting rights to the NRIs in the Gulf.  Inaugurating the 4^th Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas here today, the Prime Minister   Dr. Manmohan Singh said that apart from voting rights, the Government is also considering a number of on-site welfare measures to improve the efficiency of financial and councilor services to the overseas Indians and NRIs.  These are:

• An easy to use remittance facility that is affordable and efficient.  The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs has partnered with UTI Bank to develop an electronic integrated remittance gateway which would be launched by the Union Finance Minister Shri Chidambaram later today. 

• The Government will launch a more liberal Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana with effect from the first of next month to provide enhanced benefits to workers. 

• The Government will work with international and other agencies to streamline and modernize the process of emigration and to create awareness among the workers about their rights and obligation.

• The Government will support initiatives to develop the skills of workers and set up credible mechanisms for certification of those skills so that over the years we are able to re-position India as a source of skilled, rather than unskilled labour. 

            Dr. Manmohan Singh said to enable improved connectivity between people of Indian origin worldwide, we intend to set up a Diaspora Knowledge Network to provide a dynamic framework within which the users and providers of knowledge can discover each other and work together. 

The Prime Minister said that there is an unmet demand for higher education in a number of countries with a significant diaspora population that can provide one outlet for our talents here.  “In this process, we should be able to attract other overseas students as well.  As India becomes a stronger economic power, the  interest among  students all over the world to come and study in India would increase for the sheer experience of being in the most happening society in the world”, he added.

            Shri Oscar Fernandes, the Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs, speaking on the occasion, said that India is rapidly emerging on the world firmament to take its rightful place among the comity of nations.   He said, besides being one of the fastest growing economies, India is also a young nation.  He called upon the NRIs to partner in India’s exciting march to progress and prosperity.   Shri Fernandes said there is one virtue that defines the overseas Indian community, it is their knowledge, expertise and skills across a wide gamut of sectors.  He said, we will seek to build a bridge between India and the global Indian to transform ideas into individual initiatives and community action.

            The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, in his address, said that with the growing outsourcing business both in the manufacturing and services sectors, India has a very bright future.  Acknowledging that India has emerged as the largest recipient of remittances from non-resident Indians with 21.7 billion dollars, the Chief Minister said that the country needs inspiration from the success stories of NRIs in various fields. 

            Addressing on the occasion, the Chief Guest Mr. Ahmed Kathrada, a veteran of South African liberation struggle, said that the events like the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas will strengthen the bonds between the Overseas Indians and their motherland. He recalled the contribution of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, the first ‘pravasi’, who had returned to his homeland from South Africa on January 9, 1915.

            Earlier, the Prime Minister presented the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Cards to two NRIs – Ms. Nirvruti Rai and Mr. Iftar Ahmed Sherief.  The Prime Minister also released an OCI handbook which explains the guidelines for getting OCI cards.  The OCI card comprises, a multiple entry, multi-purpose lifelong visa for visiting India, exemption from registration with local police authority for any length of stay in India and parity with non-resident Indians in respect of economic, financial and educational fields, except in relation to acquisition of agricultural or plantation properties.

Shri Oscar Fernandes released the inaugural issue of “Overseas Indian”, the newsletter of the Ministry of the Overseas Indian Affairs.

Shri Krishna Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs welcomed the gathering and Shri Saroj K. Poddar, President, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) proposed vote of thanks.

            About 1400 delegates, several Union Ministers and Chief Ministers of States are participating in the three-day event.

AK/VNT/SP/SK