Be Partner in India’s Growth Story: President to NRIs Government to Train 10 …
As India looks to inclusive growth, health, education and skill development will remain the focus in coming years, President Pratibha Patil said on Monday while calling upon the Diaspora to partner in India’s growth story. Delivering the valedictory address at the Pravisi Bhartiya Divas here, President Patil said though much development had been done, there was a long way to go.
“In the last few decades, India has lifted tens of millions of its people out of abject poverty. Now India is in a position to feed its population better, to educate our people better and to widen their economic choices. India still have a very long way to go, “she said.
She said health, education and skill development were key areas of the strategy of inclusive development in India’s 11th Plan, and they will continue to be focus areas in the 12th Plan. We must ensure that these sectors receive adequate resources and to ensure that resources are spent to achieve maximum efficiency in terms of outcomes.
President Patil said that private investment in these areas at a time of economic uncertainty and profound change in the world. We will continue to actively engage with the overseas Indian community as partners in the development and progress of India.
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President said that we deeply cherish our relationship with the Indian Diaspora. The Government of India is keenly interested in the well-being of the people of Indian origin living overseas. The year gone by saw major development in West Asia and North Africa. This is a region of great importance to India, because of our traditional warm ties with these nations, and also because a large number of Indian nationals live there. The Government of India had to evacuate about 19,000 Indian nationals from Libya and Yemen. The Government sent special aircraft and ships to these countries to bring back Indian citizens free of cost. Similarly, special flights were flown out of Egypt for more than 700 Indian tourists and Indian nationals working with various companies there.
She said that the Indian Community Welfare Fund, originally established in 18 countries to provide timely succor to overseas Indians in distress, has now been extended to all Indian Missions.
Appreciating the “Know India Programme”, she said that is an Endeavour to maintain links with the Diaspora youth. It brings groups of young overseas people of Indian origin to India, with a view to promote awareness on different facets of life here and the progress made by India in various fields. I have had the occasion to meet some of the groups coming under this Programme, and in my interaction with them, I have spoken about their abiding links with the country of their origin – India. We must continue to promote greater exchanges between the youth as an important aspect of forging linkages and maintaining the tradition of close bonds.
In his speech, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Shri Vayalar Ravi said his ministry has drafted a plan scheme for skill development to position India as a global supplier of skilled and trained work force and leverage its demographic dividend.
He said that the Swarnapravas Yojana aims to train 10 million youth over the next two five year plans. This would enable our workers to move up the value chain and access better jobs overseas. We hope to launch the project, next year,” he said. He announced that the regional PBD for 2012 would be held in Dubai. He said that the event is successful as over 1900 delegates from about 60 countries participated in this year’s PBD.
The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Ms. Kamla Persad Bissessar said that education is essential for the upliftment of the people. She said his father opposed her education but her mother supported that I should get higher education and due to the education I became the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. She said that more and more countries are becoming aware of the power of the Diaspora to contribute not only to socio-economic development in their homeland but also to shape and sustain positive images of the country of origin and so contribute to its international stature. It is therefore easier than ever before for countries to reach out to their Diaspora community and establish relationships which can prove equally beneficial to their adopted homes, the countries of origin and the members of the Diaspora.
The president gave awards to 15 NRIs for excellent work in various fields. These are Ms. Kamla Persad Bissessar, The Prime Minister, Trinidad and Tobago, Shri P.V. Radhakrisha Pillai, Honorary Secretary of the Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam, Prof. Sachchidanand Sahai, eminent writer Cambodia, Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce for enrolling more than 12 members from the Canadian business and professional communities, Mr. Deepak Naraindas Shivdasani, for running a prominent business house in Cote D’Ivoire, Dr. Victor Shahed Smetacek, Head of the Pelagic Biology Division of the Alfred Wagner Institute of Polar and Marine Research in Bremerhaven, Germany, Mr. Sri Prakash Lohia, the founder of the Bali India Foundation, Indonesia, Mr. Jose Parayanken, the prominent Indian businessmen in Mozambique, Mr. Kiran Navinchandra Asher, the Managing Director of the Al Ansari Group of Companies, Oman, Mr. Hassan Abdulkarim Chougule, the Managing partner of the Emad Group of Companies Qatar, H.E. Mr. S.R. Nathan, an extremely distinguished Singapore public servant, Dr. Khorshed Noshir Ginwala-Rustomjee, a champion of anti-aprtheid KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, Mr. Rajesh Kumar Saraiya, a student from Ukraine who build a cultural centre called Sansksriti in Kyiv, Prof. Surendra Kumar Kaushik, from Malsisar in the Jhunjunu District of Rajasthan, a well known philanthropist and Dr. Kalpalatha Kummamuri Guntupalli, a Professor and Head of Department of Pulmonay Crtical Care and Sleep Medicine at the prestigious Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.
Shri Shivraj Patil, the Governor of Rajasthan, Shri Ashok Gehlot, Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Shri Mahadev Singh Khandela and Union Minister for state for Tribal Affairs were also present on the occasion.
Shri Parvez Dewan, Secretary, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs gave the welcome address and Shri Chandrajeet Banerjee, Director General; Confederation of Indian Industry presented the vote of thanks.
Jai Gopal/Dharmesh/Mohanty/Mahesh
(Release ID :79458)