Three day 'Pravasi Bharatiya Divas' begins

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh inaugurated the 'Pravasi Bharatiya Divas' (PBD) on Sunday. The three-day face-to-face session with overseas countrymen seeks to sustain and nurture the symbiotic relationship between India and its diaspora. It aims to address the development challenges that the country faces and discuss the opportunities available.

Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Prof. S Jayakumar, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, CII President R. Seshasayee, attended the event. In all, over 1200 delegates from 47 countries are attending the three day event. The delegates include six ministers from abroad and large delegations of over 200 NRIs are coming from Malaysia and USA.

In his inaugural speech, the Prime Minister thanked the Indian American community for the stellar role that they played in ensuring that legislation on Civil Nuclear Energy cooperation with India was was passed through the US Congress. Dr. Singh said that the civilian nuclear deal with the US would increase the range of options available with India to secure its growing energy needs.

Dr Manmohan Singh urged the overseas Indians to enthusiastically take part in the saga of great adventure and enterprise of building a new India. He said, “ I would like you to reach out and invest in a new India. Invest not just financially, but intellectually, socially, culturally and, above all, emotionally. Your roots are what bring you here. Your branches are what will keep you engaged year after year here in India's developmental saga. Come engage with the new India.”

The government announced several sops for the PIOs. in an attempt to entice the overseas Indians. The Prime Minister said that there was an ongoing effort to make Indian universities open to the children of NRIs. He also said that a university for PIOs was under active consideration. He also announced that a facilitation centre, in partnership with the industry would be set up to make it easier for the overseas investor to invest in India.

Dr Singh complimented the likes of music maestro Zubin Mehta, NRI industrialist Lakshmi Mittal, Pepsico chief Indra Nooyi and noble laureate Amartya Sen.

He also thanked the Indians settled in West Asia for handsome contribution in terms of remittances.

He valued the support of Singapore, China, Japan and South Korea in the Nalanda University project in Bihar to make it emerge as an "icon of Asian renaissance".