The Hindu : Karnataka News : NRIs need to be provided all help: Tytler

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jul 04, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

NRIs need to be provided all help: Tytler

By Our Staff Reporter

Azim Premji, Wipro chairman, presenting an award to Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, chairperson, Biocon, at the 12th anniversary celebration of Returned Non-Resident Indians' Association in Bangalore on Saturday. The Union Minister of State for Non-Resident Aff airs, Jagadish Tytler, is seen. — Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash

BANGALORE, JULY 3. The Union Minister of State for Non-Resident Affairs, Jagadish Tytler, said here today that the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, had shown interest in tapping the resources of NRIs by setting up special economic zones in different cities and also solving their problems hitherto unattended to.

Speaking after inaugurating the 12th anniversary of the Returned Non-Resident Indians' Association and presenting awards to dignitaries in various fields of economic activity, he said they could start industries and businesses in the zone in important cities. His Ministry, Mr. Tytler said, would look into their files on investments and other issues. The Minister said most problems faced by them would be solved in six months. Special facilities would be provided depending upon the contribution made in particular fields.

Mr. Tytler said he had spoken to the Chief Ministers of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh and would speak to the Karnataka Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, next week on the issue of providing infrastructure for the zones. Mr. Tytler said he would request Mr. Dharam Singh to start a separate department for NRIs to utilise their expertise and entrepreneurship in the State. They could also take up tourism development in the country.

The Minister said malls, schools, and residential areas for them would be built in the zone in an area of 2,000 to 3,000 acres. Each NRI could also adopt one or two poor children and provide them education till they secured employment. The Union Government was sponsoring 50 children of NRIs from all over the world to visit various cities and see the kind and level of development made in the country.

Mr. Tytler said Indians, particularly from Punjab, Kerala, Gujarat, and Rajasthan had harrowing tales to narrate in countries where they lived, but there was no one to even to sympathise with them let alone help them when they faced problems from the respective governments.

More than 10,000 girls from Punjab, who had married NRIs and were facing trouble needed support.

Similarly, lakhs of NRIs, particularly from Kerala and working in the Gulf, had been bedevilled with problems. They were arrested, kept in the lock-up, and found their houses occupied by someone else after their return, he said.The association president, Manjunath P. Bijjahalli, spoke..

The Union Minister of State for Planning, M.V. Rajashekharan and the Wipro chairman, Azim Premji, gave away awards to Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, chairperson and managing director, Biocon; Swati and Ramesh Ramanathan; Vivek Jawali; and Rajiv Mody.

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