The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Efforts on to increase presence of PIOs at Pravasi Bharatiya Divas

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Tuesday, Dec 22, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Efforts on to increase presence of PIOs at Pravasi Bharatiya Divas

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: Following the huge drop in the number of Indian diaspora attending the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD), the Centre is finding ways to increase their presence in the next edition, Foreign Affairs Consultant T.P. Sreenivasan said here on Monday.

Over the years, the number of Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) attending PBD has come down to 1,000 from 5,000.

For the next edition, the organisers have received around 70 to 80 registrations and are expecting the final number to be at least 500.

Mr. Sreenivasan, who was here to explore the ways to increase the presence of Indian diaspora, said: “The novelty of PBD is fading and there is no magic formula to increase the numbers. We cannot rotate the venue as it is difficult to get government officials to attend the meetings for three full days. Even if we invite the Union Home Minister for the function, he cannot stay more than a few hours. Last time, we got around 1,000 people since it was held in Chennai.”

According to him, mini-PBDs were also conducted in different parts of the globe such as New York and Singapore to celebrate the success of Indian diaspora. The next event would be held in Canada.

“It is one way of making people come to our event.”

Delivering a lecture on ‘Challenges facing Indian communities in Fiji and Myanmar,’ organised by the Department of Politics and Public Administration, the University of Madras and Center for Asia Studies, he spoke about the living conditions of Indian diaspora in these places during his tenure as Ambassador.

“Indian communities living in Fiji and Myanmar do not attend PBDs. They do not expect anything from the Indian government nor have they raised any issues. Therefore they remain forgotten.”

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would make an announcement regarding the ‘India Development Foundation’ at PBD 2010. The foundation was created to serve as a credible institutional mechanism to direct overseas Indian contributions for the intended projects or purposes.

The Centre had allotted Rs.60 lakh for administrative purposes.

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