To make Prime Minister pet project “Make in India” successful, the Government is planning to utilise Pravasi Bhartiya Divas to woo Non Resident Indians (NRI) for investing in the country. “The PM and senior ministers would utilise the opportunity to attract NRIs to invest in the country,” sources close to the development told The Pioneer adding that FM Arun Jaitey and Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman would be addressing the session along with 10 Chief Ministers and NRI business persons.
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is the world’s largest annual gathering of people of Indian origin and is aimed at enhancing networking and reinforcing commercial linkages. There are 25 million people of Indian origin outside India. Guyana President Donald Ramotar is the chief guest of the 13th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. He has been the President of the South American country, where people of Indian origin form 43 percent of the population, since 2011. Ramotar will be also be awarded on the occasion.
The event is being held in Gandhinagar to mark the centenary of the return of the “ Sarva Sreshtha Pravasi Bharatiya”, or foremost Indian diaspora member, Mahatma Gandhi to India from South Africa. Sources also indicated that the PM is expected to meet various NRI investors in smaller gatherings.
As per the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotions (DIPP), ministry of Commerce, GoI, the total foreign direct investment (FDI) equity inflows from individual non-resident Indians (NRIs) from January 2000 to April 2013 was $4684.25 million.