Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday announced a review of the Government’s major policies concerning the well-being of the Non-Resident Indians (NRIs). Badal, addressing a gathering during the third and concluding ‘Sangat Darshan’ exclusively held for NRIs, said this people meeting exercise has proved to be a boon for both — the Government and the NRIs as it has enabled the former to have an in-depth understanding of the policies related to the latter.
Describing the NRIs as “ambassadors” of Punjab in foreign countries, he said that “they were both an asset as well as pride of the entire Punjabi community so it was the duty of the State Government to ensure their welfare”. “The interactions with NRIs during these three days have enabled me to completely understand the problems faced by them and we will make all out efforts for rectifying the mechanism, wherever needed to address their grievances,” said Badal.
Announcing the review of major policies concerning the NRIs, the Chief Minister said the State Government is contemplating to give the powers regarding enquiry of cases against NRIs to the local Senior Superintendent of Police (SSPs). He said that in order to prevent any undue harassment of NRIs by fake police complaints, from now onwards any complaint against them would be investigated at the level of the Inspector General of NRI cell.
However, during the Sangat Darshan programme, many NRIs advocated that this investigation must be conducted at the level of SSP of the concerned district for saving time and energy of NRIs and, hence, the State Government would explore the feasibility of this matter. He said that going by the pendency of the Revenue Courts, the work of these also needs to be streamlined for which the Government would take the necessary steps.
Badal said that NRI brethren have to wait for long to get their cases resolved in these courts and the State Government would take adequate steps to expedite the process of clearing these cases. The CM said that in order to ensure better participation of the NRIs to develop the State, the Punjab Government would remove the shortcomings in the matching grant scheme so that the Punjabi Diaspora settled abroad could be more actively involved in the development of their native village or town.
He said, “NRIs are keen to be a partner for the development of their villages so the State Government will take every step to facilitate them…Soon a mechanism would be evolved for making this scheme more practical to suit the NRIs”. He also announced that the process for evacuation of properties of NRIs would also be made hassle-free so they do not face any problem. He reiterated the commitment to ensure the welfare of the Punjabi Diaspora adding that every step would be taken to ensure their well being.