With the poor response from the NRIs and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) hailing from UP, uncertainty prevails over organizing the second `UP NRI Diwas’ by the state government in Agra. The two day event is scheduled to be held in Agra from January 4. Though officially the government said it will be the first NRI diwas, in Agra, similar such event named as `UP Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas’ was announced to be held in Agra in February this year was cancelled by the state government. Officially no reason was assigned for cancelling the event.
The state government had decided to organize the `UP NRI diwas’ in January 2016, in October this year and detailed official announcement was made on November 4, the response from the overseas community is lukewarm so far. As per the website of the NRI department of UP, so far only 19 NRIs have registered for the two day event in Agra beginning from January 4.
The principal secretary of the NRI department Sanjiv Saran however said ``We will soon hold a press conference and share all the details about the NRI Diwas with the media’’.
The sources in the department said the government expects that at least 1,000 NRIs will turn up for the two day event in Agra. Sources also said the president of the ``Global Organisation of people of Indian origin (GOPIO) Ashook Ramsharan has also informed the state’s chief secretary Alok Ranjan about the lack of the efforts by the state government to reach out to the NRIs and PIOs from UP.
The state government has planned to organize the “U.P NRI Diwas” annually to provide an opportunity to NRIs to interact and connect with their roots and also invest in their native state. UP government had set up the NRI department in July 2014 to resolve the problems of NRIs, hailing from UP. The aims and objectives of the department is to attract investment in the state from NRIs and PIOs by facilitating through a single window system and formulate policy for the NRIs/PIOs. The NRI department will also keep records and information NRIs and PIOs persons granted emigration in the state.
Earlier this year in January chief minister Akhilesh Yadav had skipped the three-day Pravasi Bhartiya Divas in Ahmedabad. The state government had put up posters and billboards at strategic locations the capital city of Gujarat inviting people to invest in UP. However, several posters with the tagline “UP Rising” and a picture of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav were pulled down by the Ahmadabad Municipal Corporation citing technical reasons. The UP government had objected to the move. The ruling Samajwadi party also took strong exception to the removal of hoardings saying, “It seems Gujarat administration was afraid of development in UP.”
Soon after this event the state government had decided to organize the Prabasi Bhartiya Diwas in Agra in February this year. However the event was cancelled.
Since 2003, the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (Overseas Indians’ Day) sponsored by Union Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, is being celebrated on January 9 each year in India to mark the contribution of Overseas Indian community in the development of the country. The day commemorates the arrival of Mahatma Gandhi in India from South Africa, and during a three-day convention held around the day, a forum for issues concerning the Indian Diaspora is held and the annual Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards are given away.c