Punjab govt to set up Overseas Centres for NRIs

Chandigarh, May 3: The Punjab government has decided to set up Punjab Overseas Centers for better coordination between the state government and Non Resident Indians (NRIs).

Intially these Centers would be set up in UK , Canada, USA, Australia and Germany, which had a sizeable Punjabi population.

This was disclosed by state Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal at a meeting with a delegation of the NRI Sabha which called on him here today.

The delegation was led by the NRI Sabha President Giani Resham Singh Hayer and General Secretary Kamaljit Singh and comprised of the district presidents of Punjab.

The NRI Sabha has offered full assistance in setting up and running these centers.

Mr Badal said that he had directed the civil and police administration to chalk out a joint action plan to sort out all the pending issues of NRIs on a priority and in a time bound manner. He assured full support and cooperation to resolve their issues and said that the SAD-BJP government was committed to the welfare of NRIs.

A separate department of NRIs Affairs had been set up under the administrative control of a senior state functionary, the CM told the NRI Sabha members. "Appreciating the gravity of the problems of NRIs, I have kept this newly created department with me", Mr Badal stated. In a significant decision, the Chief Minister said that police cases of NRIs would not be handled by an officer below the rank of a DSP.

UNI