PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIVAS. India reaches out to NRIs to be part of flagship programmes

India has reached out to Non Resident Indians (NRIs) to be part of the Smart Cities Mission, Digital India, Skill India, Start Up India and Swacch Bharat Campaign.

Addressing the inaugral session of Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) at Bengaluru, Gen V K Singh (retd), Minister of State for External Affairs, said: “We have launched a number of flagship programmes to achieve our developmental objectives. Our dream is of a prosperous, skilful, enterprising, clean and futuristic India.”

“Here our efforts are to realise that dream. We also look at our friends and partner countries to realise that dream. Our challenges also offer opportunities for you to be part of India’s growth story through which you will also realise your dreams,” he added.

Harping on the common thread, the indestructible filament that binds NRIs and India, Gen Singh said “All of you together is the enduring connect with a country whose history dates back to five millennia, whose contemporary reality takes you on an incredible journey and whose future offers you endless possibilities. We consider you as one of our own and we offer you the best of what we have.”

Whether you are looking for adventure tourism, or affordable quality education, or tech start-ups or even a market for novel utility products, India offers limitless opportunities. For example, Bengaluru alone is home to many educational and research institutions such. It is also home to several active tech start-ups. Similar facilities and opportunities exist in towns and cities across the country.

The Know India Programme is a scheme aimed to give first hand experience and flavour of India and also provide a platform for interaction with policy makers. industry and civil society. “We hope that the KIP alumni will remain in touch with one another as well as with us, including through new networking platforms,” said Gen Singh.

The Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children enables diaspora youth to pursue undergraduate courses in Indian universities and institutes.

According to Gen Singh “This programme has recently been revamped and extended from 44 to 66 countries, and the number of scholarships has also been increased. A portal has been set up to enable online application and processing.”

Bharat Ko Janiye (Know India) Quiz programme, which the Prime Minister had launched for young overseas Indians in the last PBD in 2015 in Gandhinagar, was another initiative which received tremendous response. The winners received medals from PM during the inauguration of Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra on Gandhiji’s birthday.

The Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas, which we launched in 2015, was yet another reflection of our conviction in the power of the youth Diaspora to bring in change.

The 2015 Youth PBD was about 3Cs, Connect-to connect the Indian Diasporas to their motherland; Celebrate-to celebrate the pride in the history and civilisation heritage of India and; Contribute - participation in transforming India.