Prez: NRIs must help build nation
Thursday, 10/01/2013
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130110/nation.htm#8
Kochi : President Pranab Mukherjee today exhorted the overseas Indian community to play a decisive role in India’s development. Delivering the valedictory address after presenting Pravasi Bharatiya Samman awards on the last day of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas: 2013, he said that overseas Indians, especially academicians, scientists, technocrats and businessmen, should play a role in building the country's knowledge society.
"I wish to see the Indian diaspora as a stronger partner not only in India's economic growth but also in building the country's knowledge society while continuing to engage culturally and emotionally besides serving as effective ambassadors," he said.
Referring to swelling remittances, the President said that these were testimony to the fact that the overseas Indian community found it emotionally and financially fulfilling to invest back home in the wake of the country's strong economic fundamentals. India, he said, had set up a friendly regime to enable overseas Indians to remit money home under various banking schemes.
The President recalled that during his tenure as Finance Minister, he had opened the Indian capital market for qualified foreign investors, the scope of which was subsequently widened. The yield of Indian equity markets is among the highest in the world.
The President said that for the last six years, India had seen an 8 per cent growth but due to global factors, the rate had slumped to 6.5 per cent last year and further to 5.4 per cent in the first half of 2012. Since the Indian economy had exhibited its ability to weather external shocks, it would soon be able soon to bring back the economic growth to 8 to 9 per cent.
Earlier, Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs V Ravi highlighted the measures taken for the welfare of the overseas community in general and that in the Gulf in particular.
