12 yrs on, govt abandons NRI conclave - Marked with extravaganza, event to be replaced by Sangat Darshan in Malwa, Doaba

Tuesday, 11/11/2014

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20141111/punjab.htm#1

Jalandhar : Facing criticism from NRIs over alleged failure to fulfil the promises made to them during NRI Sammelans, the Punjab Government has decided to do away with the 12-year-old annual event.

The government would instead organise NRI Sangat Darshan twice a year to address the grievances of the community.

The opposition parties too had been targeting the government for allegedly reducing the event to a show of extravaganza aimed at wooing a section of the prominent Punjabis settled abroad.

Confirming the decision, Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Tota Singh said the convention would pave the way for two meetings, one each in Malwa and Doaba, to be held under Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in 2015.

“The Chief Minister will hold the Sangat Darshan from October to January. The NRIs will get an opportunity to raise their problems with the top government machinery,” said Tota Singh.

The Minister said the first Malwa meeting would be held on December 28 in Moga whereas the Doaba convention would be organised in Jalandhar on January 18.

The government had been drawing flak from the NRI community for allegedly failing to address their problems, mainly related to land grab, property dispute and registration of false cases. The opposition had been criticising the Akalis for “failing” to attract any investment from the NRIs, who were provided VIP treatment during the annual convention.

Among the announcements made over the years, the single window system for NRI affairs still remained a distant reality, an NRI said.

The government also had failed to establish adequate NRI fast-track courts in the state, he said.

Avtaar Singh Johl, Jalandhar-based NRI and general secretary of the Indian Workers Association, Great Britain, alleged the government had only made announcements in these conventions. He alleged fearing possible boycott of this “futile exercise” by the Punjabi diaspora, the government seemed to have called of this event too.

Dates for new events

Malwa Sangat Darshan: December 28, Moga

Doaba Sangat Darshan: January 18, Jalandhar

Govt under attack

The government was drawing flak from the NRIs for its “failure” to address their woes
Most of them related to land grab, property dispute and registration of false cases
The opposition had been criticising the Akalis for "failing" to attract any investment from the NRIs, who were given VIP treatment during the annual convention