01_Pravasi_Newsletter_Day2.pdf

PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIVAS JANUARY 8, 2013 1

JANUARY 8, 2013, KOCHI FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION ONLY

PravasiBharatiya Divas 2013Engaging Diaspora: The Indian Growth Story

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, the an-nual celebratory event of Over-seas Indians, got off to a colorful start at the historic city of Kochi. As the Non-resident Indians in the Gulf play a crucial role in the states economy, there was much appreciation for the decision to allot an entire day for discussing issues relating to them. The seminar witnessed lively interaction between the delegates and the panelists. The ambassadors of various Gulf countries also exchanged views with the delegates.

Shri Vayalar Ravi, Minister for Overseas Indian Overseas Affairs, said that the government is aware of the issues faced by the NRI community and the government has been taking several initiatives towards resolving them. Concerns relat-ing to travel issues, amnesty scheme, and social welfare measures came up for discussion and it was indicated then that the government might be organizing a Special Meet soon just for discuss-

ing the issues relating to the Amnesty Scheme. At the end of the seminar, the mood among the delegates from the Gulf was one of optimism and the air was one of pleasant anticipation for the upcoming events of the convention.

The session also saw the release of India Migra-tion Report 2013 and the booklet Connecting with Indian Diaspora detailing the achievements of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs during the 2006-2012 period.

Lively Interactions Feature Seminar On NRIs In Gulf

I am deeply aware of the problems faced by Ma-layalis in the Gulf and I assure you that I will take up your suggestions with the Prime Minister and my Cabinet colleagues for their expeditious redressal

Shri Vayalar Ravi, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs

I am deeply thankful to the Non-resident Keralites who remit foreign ex-change worth Rs.60,000 crore annually. The issue of voting rights will be ad-dressed in the next session of State Assembly

Shri Oommen Chandy, Chief Minister of Kerala

PBD 2013 All Set For Formal Launch By PM

Commemorative stamp on Gadar Movement to be released by PM

Dr Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India, will formally inaugurate the eleventh Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2013 on 8th in Kochi. H.E Shri. Rajkeswur Purryag, President of Mauritius, is gracing the occasion as the Chief Guest. Over 2,000 delegates from 44 countries are expected to attend the convention which is being hosted by Kerala, Partner State to the Ministry of Overseas Affairs.

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh will also release a stamp to commemorate the centenary year of Gadar Movement.

TODAYS HIGHLIGHTS

Release of Postage Stamp by PM on Gadar Movement

Release of books entitled India Supports and Handbook for Immigrants by PM

Four Plenary Sessions

PBD Oration on Gadar Movement

Shri Vayalar Ravi presenting the fi rst copy of India Migration Report 2013 to Shri Oommen Chandy

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PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIVAS JANUARY 8, 2013 2 PR

LEADERS SPEAK F

VOICES FROM DAY 1 PBD 2013The decline in the percentage of Malayali workforce in the Gulf region now calls for steps to extend facilities for the develop-ment of skills to those who are looking to go to the Gulf countries in search of jobs.

E Ahamed, Minister for State for External Affairs, Govt of India

Development of skill programmes in inaccessible areas will be a key measure to reach out to every nook and corner of the country. We are planning 1500 Skill development centers.

Mrutyunjay Saraangi, Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India

The government needs to set up econom-ic zones for small and medium projects for NRIs. It is also a must that single window clearance be accorded so as to attract investment.

M A Yusuffali, Vice Chairman, NORKA ROOTS

We never advertise our scientifi c faculty positions abroad. International faculty is not allowed in India. Meanwhile, many countries like Hong Kong and Singapore, do that and they have a sizeable number of faculty members who are from over-seas. Many such institutions have seen growth in a big way.Lord Bhiku S Parikh, Member, British House of Lords

Kerala is a Sleeping Elephant, the poten-tial still remains untapped.

Amitabh Kant, CEO and MD, Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation

The government of Kerala will chart out measures to extend voting rights to the non-resident Keralites for participation the electoral processes of the Panchayat and local bodies too. This plan will be moved when the next session of the Kerala As-sembly happens.

K C Joseph, Minister for NORKA and Culture, Govt of Kerala

The intervention of Italian offi cials and the government machinery in the case of the marines detained for murder in Kerala should come as an eye opener. We should also take similar steps when it comes to Indians suffering in other parts of the world.

M K Raghavan, Member of Parliament

If we can even leverage at least fi ve percentage of the diasporas expenditure and experience in the tourism scene, we will bring about a tremendous change, besides opening up the job scene. Tour-ism has the potential to drive employment generation and eliminate poverty.

E. M. Najeeb, President, Confederation of Tourism Industry, Kerala

Today we dont have unemployment is-sues, but we are facing serious shortage of skilled labourers in various industries. The government looks to achieve ISO certifi cation for all government ITIs and ensure quality training for the youth in the state.

Shibu Baby John, Minister for Labour, Government of Kerala

The seminar on tourism will bring to the fore the underlying opportunities with re-gard to NRI engagement and will strength-en the tourism sector.

A. P. Anil Kumar, Minister for Tourism, Government of Kerala

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2 PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIVAS JANUARY 8, 2013 3

FOCUS ON GULF

Non-resident Keralites account for a total remittance from the Gulf region of Rs 60,000 crore, which is more than 20 per cent of the States Domestic Product, said Shri Oommen Chandy, Kerala Chief Minister. This shows the important role the NRI community plays in the state, he said.Releasing the India Migration Report 2013 at the opening session of the Eleventh Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2013 in Kochi, Oommen Chandy delivered the keynote address focussing on issues that non-

resident Keralites face in the Gulf region. Promising that issues would be addressed so that a resolution process can be chalked out, he said that Keralas role of host to PBD 2013 is a great opportunity to discuss the problems faced by the NRIs.The Chief Minister felt that the Indian diaspora holds a major stake in the economy building process and he hoped that the PBD 2013 will pave the way for the charting out a proper course towards addressing the issues of NRIs. He also stressed upon the need for im-proving the airline service from Gulf to Kerala.

Non-resident Keralites Hold A Prominent Place In Keralas Economic Scene

Voting Rights for NRIs May Be Extended To Local Bodies Too

Speaking dur-ing the inaugural session of the eleventh edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Di-vas 2013, K C

Joseph, Minister for Non-resident Keralite Affairs, said that the Kerala government is considering a proposal to extend the voting rights of Non-resident Keralites to panchayat and local body elections in the next session of State Assembly.While expressing his gratitude to Shri Vayalar Ravi, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, for his concern and support to Non-resident Indians in the Gulf region, he felt that the appointment of Malayali offi cers in the Gulf embas-sies would go a long way in faster redressal of problems for their problems. He also suggested that the staff strength in the embassies should be increased.Shri Joseph also drew the atten-tion of the Minister towards reports that the Indian embassies in Gulf are having huge unspent balance in the Indian community welfare funds. He also called for increasing the stipulated quantity of gold that can be brought into India by the NRIs.

The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas where the non-resident Indians voice their grievances will be discussed and the outcome of the discus-sions will be shared with the Government of India towards faster resolution, Union Minister of State for External Affairs Shri E Ahamed said.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the PBD 2013, Mr Ahamed said that the number of Malayalees working in the Gulf region is decreasing and skill development

programmes need to be launched for those looking for work in Gulf. Maximum opportunities are to be provided with options to develop and hone their skills so as to work overseas, he pointed out.

He noted that the people who return to their homeland after having worked in the gulf region for 30-40 many years dont get opportunities to continue life in their own towns and cities. This is something that needs to be looked into seriously, he added.

The seminar on Skill Development at the 11th PBD turned out to be an eye-opener as it explored various opportunities of investment for NRIs in skills-developing institutions. This is a sector which allows 100% investment from outside sources.

The session began with Dr. P Mohamed Ali, MD, Gulfar Engineering & Contracting Co spelling out the need and scope of skill development institutes. India is a nation that has 60% of its population aged be-tween 20 & 35 and it is time we capitalized on this opportunity to develop skills.

Shri Shibu Baby John, Minister for Labour, Government of Kerala, unveiled the states plan in setting up a credible skill develop-ment institute network through nearly 75 ITIs spread across the state. Today we dont have unemployment issues, but face shortage of skilled labourers.

The government has plans to begin a center of excellence in the construction

industry which would undertake all training from basic masonry to civil engineering.

Also, if we have to reach the target of giving skill-training to 500 million by 2022 it is very much important that the NRIs and other private fi rms be involved. The government is collaborating with NSDC to give training for nursing staff depending on the region of their work.

The session was also addressed by Shri Dilip Chenoy, CEO and MD, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). As government projects take time for imple-mentation, it would be a great boost to the national economy if NRIs could invest in skill development programmes, he said.

Those Looking For Jobs In Gulf Need Skills Development Training

Skill Development, Need Of The Hour

Shri Oommen Chandy receives the fi rst copy of Connecting with Indian Diaspora from Shri Vayalar Ravi



NRI SPEAK

Some Of The Concerns Raised AtThe Pre-PBD seminar on NRIs In The Gulf witnessed a lively discussion of signifi cpartnership agreements with the Gulf region and relief and rehabilitation of Indian nexpressed during the deliberations by delegates

Panelists on the Seminar on NRIs in the Gulf

States Own CarrierMany NRIs extended their wholehearted sup-port for the Air Kerala airline service which has been proposed by the Kerala govern-ment. The initial investment of Rs 300 crore doesnt seem a great deal with many NRI societies already beginning discussion for accumulation of the amount.

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NRI DatabaseIt is the need of the hour to have a precise database of NRIs in each country. The best option for this would be the registration on arrival directly from the airport, mentioning all the details such as nature of job, place of work, accommodation, details of sponsors and the like.

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NORKA ServicesThose working abroad are greatly concerned about their loved ones and valuables in India. Most are unaware of the various kinds of ser-vices available at NORKA- ROOTS and those provided by the police in the state though complaints can be directly sent to NORKA - ROOTS or the head of Law and Order in the state.

NRI StatusNRI status is given to everyone who has worked abroad. There are many who have worked abroad for 40 to 50 years in the Gulf, and want to come back home. The Government welcomes them back by taking out the NRI status, which makes them vulner-able to pay a large share of their saving as tax to the government. Many requested to retain their NRI status so that they wont have to pay tax for the money which they havent earned from India.

Travel TravailsThere were quite a few concerns raised over the quality of service at Air India and poor connectiv-ity provided by them. The June-July season, when the schools in the Gulf are closed, is regarded the peak season for Gulf fl ights to Kerala. But over the past few years, Air India has been consis-tently cancelling fl ights to Kerala without prior information.Extended delay (of 24-48 hours) are not new to the NRIs. While private carriers compete to pro-vide the best facility for the travelers, Air India competes with them only on the ticket fare scene. There are a large number of NRIs who earn moderately and are forced to pay a lions share of their earnings just to visit their family. Many prefer not to fl y home for years.



ed At Seminar On NRIs In The Gulfn of signifi cant issues that impact NRIs such as repatriation, labour mobility, of Indian nationals affected by uprisings. Here are some of the concerns

Higher EducationHigher education for NRI students was an-other major concern discussed. It is practical-ly diffi cult to provide quality higher secondary education in the Gulf. When they return to Kerala, the schools provide seats under the NRI quota which ensures seats for the stu-dents. However, the fees are almost double than that are taken from domestic students. Not every NRI earns 2000 or 3000 dirhams per month and for those who come home with a dream to give the best education to their children are left without an option. Many believe it would be a better option to begin new educational institutions with the support of state government or other universities.

Disregard for the DeceasedTransfer of the bodies of deceased NRIs is put on hold for a long time before they are brought back to their homeland. Normally it takes a long procedure of paper work and attestations, which take at least 5 to 6 days to complete. It could even take more than 2 weeks too. It would be a great move if the embassies can directly intervene in this pro-cess so that the body is brought back within 24 hours of being medically certifi ed dead.

NRI WelfareMost of the embassies in the Gulf nations have suffi cient funds for the welfare of NRIs. However, the common complaint from the part of the NRIs is that the utilization of the funds is not done the proper way. There needs to be an authority to regularly monitor the problems face by NRIs in host countries and be made sure that the welfare funds reach the needy on time. Also many request-ed that there must be a welfare offi cer or a higher offi cial - preferably a Keralite as more than 60% of NRIs are Keralites and are part of the middle class.

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UAEs Amnesty SchemeMany NRIs have been facing trial in the Gulf and have been penalized allegedly under vari-ous crimes. The Indian Embassy need to be proactive about providing amnesty for those facing trial. They need to be given suffi cient legal assistance by the respective embassy it-self. It is shocking that many are still spending their lives in Gulf jails even after completing the penalty period, because they dont have any one to take up their case and process the paper work for them so that they could return home. Even though the government has released Rs 25 lakh in this regard, it is has become diffi cult for the embassies to distrib-ute the money exclusively for Keralites alone.



SESSIONS IN BRIEF P

Pursuit Of Pure Sciences Should Get Better Priority, Feel Experts

The Indian pure sciences scenario has never been good and the reasons why we havent done well in pure sciences need to be addressed, said Lord Bhiku C Parekh, Member of British House of Lords. Speaking at a seminar on Pure Sciences as part of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2013, Lord Parekh said the reasons are many. Listing out the various hassles the scientifi c community inside India face, he said one of them was that the scientifi c training is relatively poor. Science is about training the mind and that doesnt happen in India.

He further said that poor leadership in universities and scientifi c institutions has resulted in making talented students get stuck in their institutions and they are de-prived of the opportunities to explore stud-ies overseas. Adding that India does have a lot of resources but remain under-utilised, Lord Parekh felt this could also be one reason as to why we havent done well.

Drawing attention to the fact that India is never open to employing international faculty in our institutions, he said many other nations have tried this out and have succeeded in a big way. Lord Parekh said we need to concentrate our resources in select universities and then create satellite centres one after the other by imbibing the resources at the main centre.

Moderating the session, Dr Thomas Abra-

ham, President, Innovative Research and Products Inc, and Executive Trustee, GO-PIO International Foundation, USA, pointed out that India needs to look at the present status of pure sciences research in India and how overseas Indians can be involved in the research process. He lamented the fact that the brightest of graduates in India are fast moving away from science and heading for opportunities in business and management abroad. Getting mediocre students for science learning will not bring in quality in science education, he added.

Dr S Ayyappan, Secretary, Department of Agriculture Research and Education (DARE), and Director General, The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), making his presentation focused on sci-ence in agriculture, its advancements and the collaborations India has with various

bodies all over the world. Talking on the energy scenario and research in that arena, Dr C Shekhar Mishra, Fermilab, USA, pointed out that the Indian Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Science and Technology and US Department of Energys Discovery Science collabora-tion could be seen as the new frontier in scientifi c tie up.

Prof GK Sasidharan, Ex-Vice Chancellor, Calicut University, who outlined the chal-lenges facing pure sciences, said that the importance of pure sciences should not be undermined. He felt, though in scientifi c and technological developments pure sci-ences play the most fundamental role, their inevitable position is getting undermined by the society and as a result, the govern-ments are forced to take decisions not benefi cial to pure sciences.

Stress On Diasporas Potential In Health Tourism

Tourism, particularly health tour-ism, came under greater focus as eminent personalities in the tourism arena deliberated on the potential and opportunities of the sector at the eleventh edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Kochi.

The concurrent session focused on tour-ism sector, and the opportunities that can be leveraged with the Indian diaspora for engagement and investment in the sector.

The session started with the release of a book titled Jewels of India, which featured 89 prominent personalities of Indian origin from the United States.

The session was led by Shri A. P. Anil

Kumar, Minister for Tourism, Government of Kerala. Other prominent personalities who spoke included Shri K. Sudhakaran, Member of Parliament, Shri. Alkesh Patel, President, Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA), USA, Shri Amitabh Kant , CEO and MD , Delhi Mumbai Indus-trial Corridor Development Corporation and Shri E. M. Najeeb, President , Confedera-tion of Tourism Industry, Kerala.

Shri Anil Kumar initiated the session by thanking the Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Shri Vayalar Ravi, for his efforts to make Kerala the host for this edition of PBD, and stated that the seminar will strengthen the roots of Indian Tour-ism. Shri Amitabh Kant stressed that the untapped potential of NRI investment needs to be converted to tourism, as it can fulfi ll the role of a major driving force for the Indian economy.

Shri Alkesh Patel of AAHOA said that their expertise has established 45 percentage of stake holding in the US hotel market and he spoke of the urge to bring about expertise franchise measures to promote the health tourism sector in India.

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Day One Vignettes

From left: Shri Rajiv Mehrishi, Secretary, MOIA, Shri K Babu, Minister for Excise and Ports, Govt of Kerala, Shri Oommen Chandy, Chief Minister, Kerala, Shri Vayalar Ravi, Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs and Shri K C Joseph , Minister for NORKA and Culture, Govt of Kerala, inaugurating the Exhibition organised as part of the eleventh edition of the PBD, in Kochi

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, Minister for Home, Govt of Kerala, addressing a press conference

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Dato S Samy Velu, Special Envoy of the Prime Minister of Malaysia, and Kerala Chief Minister exchange greetingsDaMShri Vayalar Ravi and Shri Oommen Chandy at the stalls

Percussion artists welcome Shri Vayalar Ravi to the PBD venue


A cross-section of the delegates at PBD 2013

PercuShri Vayalar Ravi visiting the stall set up by the Department of Fisheries



Geeta Chandran Enthralls P

ravasis

Star classical dancer, Padmash

ri Geeta Chandran and her trou

pe had the audience spellboun

d with their

performance, showcasing the

best of Indian arts, in a cultural

evening organised by Indian C

ouncil of

Cultural Relations. Shri Salman

Khurshid, Minister of External A

ffairs, graced the occasion

Star class

performance, showcasing the

best of Ind

Cultural Relations. Shri Salman

Khurshid, Minister of External A

ffairs, gra

CULTURAL EVENING

Photos: K K Laskar


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