By IANS
New Delhi : Indian President Pratibha Patil Wednesday urged overseas Indians to get “proactively” engaged with India by making use of several schemes launched by the government.
Speaking at the valedictory session of the 6th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, Patil called upon the “overseas Indian community to engage proactively in contributing to the growth of India”.
She suggested four “ideas” for overseas Indians to remain engaged, starting with applying for the Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) scheme.
“First, overseas Indians must make use of the OCI scheme. It gives you a lifetime free visa to India and also allows you to live and work in India whenever you choose,” said Patil.
She asked them take advantage of the Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre, “which can be the diaspora’s window to invest in and benefit from India”.
“The government has begun work on establishing a ‘Diaspora Knowledge Network’ – an electronic platform to enable the Indian diaspora to transform ideas into individual initiatives and community action in India. I would urge you to participate actively in this project,” she said.
Thereafter, she pointed out that the India Development Foundation, which will be set up later this year, would provide a “credible window to contribute to social development causes such as empowerment of women and rural development in India”.
The president encouraged overseas Indians to “contribute to schemes and projects in the fields of education, health and rural development as also invest in infrastructure projects and enterprises whether they be small, medium or large sized industries”.