Hence, it has been the constant endeavour of the government to sort-out various Diaspora related issues and introduce new schemes to ensure their active participation in our growth story.
This was stated by Sh. Vayalar Ravi, Minster for Overseas Indian Affairs while addressing inaugural session of PBD here today. He said that several initiatives including the Overseas Citizen of India Scheme, voting rights for NRIs and the scholarship program for Diaspora youth have been introduced. Many more schemes such as the e-migrate project are on the anvil, the Minister added.
Full text of the Minister’s Speech is as following:
“I am very happy to welcome you to the 12th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) at New Delhi. This great Diaspora engagement is organised annually on January 9th to celebrate the return of our greatest Pravasi, Mahatma Gandhi on this day in 1915 from South Africa. This occasion also marks the remembrance of our freedom struggle and the contribution of Overseas Indian community to the development of India.
2. PBD conventions are being held every year since 2003. They have provided a platform to india’s large overseas community to engage with the Government of India and people of their ancestral land for mutually beneficial activities.
The convention is also a useful networking forum for overseas Indians residing in different parts of the world and enables them to share their experiences. We use the event to honour pravasis of exceptional merit with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award. The event also provides a forum for discussing key issues concerning the Indian Diaspora.
Over the years, various schemes and projects like OCI card scheme and inclusion of the names of Non- Resident Indians in the voters list have been introduced successfully, thanks to discussions held in this forum. The Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas is one of the largest and important Diaspora engagement meets, anywhere in the world. It is my sincere hope that this edition will also prove as useful as those in the past.
3. The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention is also organised to strengthen Diaspora’s engagement with India’s growth story. We realise that economics and business are the flavours of the modern world. While, the Diaspora looks back to India out of sentiment as the land of their forefathers, they equally see the opportunities in India and are keen to be partners in our growing economy.
Our first Plenary session itself touches on important aspects of this issue. A session on ‘Investment Opportunities in the States’ with State Chief Ministers is slated for tomorrow. This will give an opportunity for pravasis to engage with the State Governments for partnering in the growth of their ancestral States.
4. The 12th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in New Delhi is unique from the point of view that a Youth PBD was celebrated yesterday for the first time. Indeed this year the theme of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is “Engaging the Diaspora-Connecting across Generations and this itself emphasises on youth connection. The youth population in India is one of the largest in the world, and it is contributing immensely to the growth of our great country.
The younger generation of the Diaspora also constitutes a large group and is beginning to play important roles in their countries. It is essential that these new generations of Indians and pravasis bond together in the same way their parents and forefathers did. Many sessions were held yesterday focussed on youth. The interactions certainly helped young people from India and the diaspora to have thoughtful insights into the economic, cultural and development horizons of their mother country. Hence, this edition of PBD will find a unique place in the history of PBDs in India.
5. There is also a new focus in this PBD on India’s growing clout in the world of culture, films, art and letters. There is a session today on‘India’s Soft Power’ and another one tomorrow on making “India the Hub of the Media and Entertainment industry”. I am sure that this new thrust will be of immense interest to overseas participants.
6. Friends, as you are all aware it has been the constant endeavour of this Ministry to sort-out various diaspora related issues and introduce new schemes for them. Several initiatives including the Overseas Citizen of India Scheme, voting rights for NRIs and the scholarship program for Diaspora youth have been introduced by us. Many more schemes such as the e-migrate project are on the anvil.
We have stepped in to help Indian workers in distress abroad wherever necessary. In this 12th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas we will have a session on issues of NRIs in the Gulf as in the past. This session will also deliberate on various options for rehabilitation of the returnees. We shall continue to serve our citizens abroad and deepen our engagement with our Diaspora.
7. It is now my pleasant duty to welcome our distinguished guests. Ladies and gentlemen, our Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh is here and he has inaugurated the event by lighting the ceremonial lamp. It is a measure of importance that the Government of India attaches to this event that it is inaugurated by the Prime Minister. Sir on behalf of my Ministry and all of us present here, let me extend a very hearty welcome to you.
8. The PBD 2014 has been enriched by the presence of the Chief Guest Datuk Seri G. Palanivel, Federal Minister of Malaysia for Natural Resources & Environment, and President of the Malaysian Indian Congress. We are very happy and privileged to have him as Chief Guest considering his prominence and stature in the Indian Diaspora community in Malaysia.
The contributions of Indian Diaspora in the growth and development of Malaysia is a well-known fact and we are all very happy to associate with the success of the Indian Diaspora community in Malaysia. Sir, I take this opportunity to welcome you in Delhi.
9. It is also my pleasure to welcome my colleague Shri Jitendra Singh, who heads our partner ministry, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. It is also my privilege to welcome all of you present here, my Pravasi friends, officials and diplomats, and members of the press.
10. Ladies and gentlemen, I expect Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2014 to be a milestone in the engagement with the Indian Diaspora. I take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy and prosperous New Year”.
