88,053 apply for Overseas Citizenship of India

New Delhi, Jul 27: The Government today informed Rajya Sabha that uptil July 25, 2005, 88,053 persons have applied for Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) and 41,536 persons have been issued OCI documents till that date.

Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi said that the scheme was launched on January 7, 2006 and the scheme has been further streamlined and is largely successful.

The Scheme has been well received all over the world, he added.

Replying to another question, Mr Ravi said that the details of divorce cases were not maintained in the Ministry of Overseas Indian affairs and the government is taking various steps to create awareness on this issue which include publishing a guidance booklet on marriages to overseas Indians and publicly through print and electronic media.

The Ministry organised a National Consultation in Delhi in February 2006 and a Workshop in Chandigarh in June 2006 to address the problems relating to marriages with overseas Indian.

Another workshop is being organised in collaboration with the National Commission for Women in Kerala in September 2006, he added.

On Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD), Mr Ravi said that PBD has not created any special purpose vehicle to facilitate investments of overseas Indian.

He, however, informed that an information services portal in association with UTI Bank has been launched, which provides information to Overseas Indians on investment opportunities in India. In addition, the Ministry also uses other forums for promoting investments by Overseas Indians.

Regarding problems faced by Indian nationals abroad, the Minister said that suggestions have been received that the Emigration Act be amended to streamline the emigration process. The process of amending the Emigration Act was already underway.

Mr Ravi said that some cases of this nature have been reported from the Gulf Region. The Indian Missions abroad take up such cases with local authorities concerned for redressal as expeditiously as possible.

On corruption in Protectorate of Immigrants (PoE), the Minister admitted that there have been CBI raids in some offices of Protectors of Emigrants (PoE). The cases are at various stages of investigation.

Various measures to streamline the emigration progress to make it simple and transparent, including amendment to the Emigration Act 1983, are underway, he added.

UNI