The state government of Punjab under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is planning to come out with a new policy program to aid and assist NRIs from the state. The program being planned is to address issues faced by the Punjabi NRIs effectively.
Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal chaired a meeting with the senior officers of the NRI department and discussed the draft of new Non-Resident Indian (NRI) policy with them and with members of the NRI Commission, Punjab, according to an official statement.
Minister Dhaliwal said the Punjab government has launched a programme to connect NRI Punjabi youths with their roots.
The government will also launch a programme for the NRI Punjabi elderly people in order to provide them with free travel to religious and historical places of the state.
The NRI Affairs minister said the efforts were being made to establish NRI Lok Adalats on the lines of civil Lok Adalats to resolve their issues.
With particular focus on land and marriage disputes these courts will encourage and try to find ways to settle by mutual consent.
Minister Dhaliwal says the agreements and settlements will have legal recognition.
While chairing high level meeting with officers of NRI dept & members of NRI Commission Punjab, NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal disclosed that Punjab govt will soon bring a new NRI friendly policy to provide assistance to NRI Punjabis to resolve their problems swiftly pic.twitter.com/oH70UQRRsb
— Government of Punjab (@PunjabGovtIndia) August 3, 2022
For a prompt hearing of the NRIs’ issues, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann would be requested to deploy a Punjab Civil Services level officer as a nodal officer in each district of Punjab.
A law would be introduced to prevent change of ‘girdwari’ without the consent of NRIs. This is aimed at minimizing encroachment of NRI lands, and to provide relief to NRIs.
A panel of lawyers from the Advocate General’s office will be appointed to give legal assistance to the NRI Punjabis, in case such assistance is needed.
Also read: NRI issues – Perils of Adverse possession
The announcement in this regard was first made back in April by minister Dhaliwal while speaking at Athola village in Jalandhar district.
Punjab government’s focus on major reforms in rural development, necessitated according to the minister that the NRIs be helped in order for them to contribute to the state’s overall development.
Comprehensive development “will be possible quickly with the wholehearted cooperation and help of NRIs”, the minister had said. The Minister added that once the policy comes into effect Punjabi Diaspora would get their work done in a seamless manner.
Keeping his promise of preparing the draft policy read in two weeks, the formulation of reforms is in the final stages of development.
Punjabi NRIs may soon face a lot less red tape and hassles when the mechanism in full is operational.
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