Punjab Government will soon bring a new “NRI-friendly” policy to provide assistance to the NRI Punjabis to solve their problems swiftly. The government is also planning to set up NRI Lok Adalats, besides offering free visits to the state's religious and historical places to the ‘senior citizen NRIs’.
The state’s NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, chairing a high-level meeting with the senior officers of the NRI Department, discussed the draft new NRI policy with the senior officials and members of the NRI Commission Punjab.
“Punjab Government has launched a program to connect the NRI Punjabi youth with their roots, on the same lines, the Bhagwant Mann Government will also draw up a program for the elderly under which the NRI Punjabi elderly will be provided free travel to religious and historical places of the State,” said Dhaliwal.
The Minister said that efforts were being made to establish NRI Lok Adalats to resolve their issues on the lines of Civil Lok Adalats to provide major relief to the NRI Punjabis. In these courts, especially land and marriage disputes will be settled on the spot by mutual consent, which will have legal recognition, he said.
An important decision was taken in the meeting that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann would be requested to deploy a PCS level as a nodal officer in every district to address the NRIs issues promptly.
Dhaliwal said that usually there are many cases of encroachment on NRI lands, and to provide relief to NRIs, it has been decided that a law would be introduced preventing change of girdwari without the consent of NRIs.
In the meeting, it was also decided that a panel of lawyers from the Advocate-General's office will be appointed to give legal assistance to the NRI Punjabis. NRIs will be able to take legal assistance from these lawyers if needed.
The NRI Affairs Minister also issued directions to review the work done by the NRI Sabha Jalandhar during the previous years.