1,500 Indian diaspora to attend Pravasi Bharatiya Divas

New Delhi, Nov 5 (UNI) As many as 1,500 Indian diaspora from different countries will attend the annual Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD), being held in Chennai during January 8-10 next year.

Overseas Indian Affairs (OIA) Minister Vayalar Ravi told mediapersons that the diaspora meet would be held at the Trade Centre in Chennai.

He said there was a good response from the Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to the invitation to attend the seventh edition of the PBD. Many delegates had already registered their names during the mini-PBD held in Singapore last month.

Mr Ravi said he would visit the United States this month to invite the Indians settled there to attend the meet.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would inaugurate the meet on January eight and would also be attended by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

He said all the Chief Ministers had been invited to attend the meet. They would get a chance to interact with the delegates and discuss state-specific investment plans with them on October nine.

The meet would conclude on October 10 with President Pratibha Devisingh Patil presenting the ''Pravasi Awards''.

Mr Ravi said a labour agreement with the Sultanate of Oman had almost been finalised and he might sign a Memorandum of Understanding on the same with his Omanese counterpart during his visit to the Sultanate, along with Prime Minister Singh towards this week end.

UNI SH GL NS1758