PM Modi calls upon NRIs to join hands in building new India

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the plenary session of the 15th edition of Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas (PBD) at Deendayal Hastkala Sankul at Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh (UP), on January 22, 2019.

Chief Guest of PBD 2019, Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Jugnauth, ,Governor of Uttar Pradesh Ram Naik, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj along with UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister of Haryana Manohar Lal Khattar, Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Trivendra Singh Rawat, Union Minister of State for Overseas Indian Affairs Retd.General V K Singh and several other dignitaries graced the occasion.

In his address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it is the love and affection of the diaspora for the land of their forefathers which has brought them to India. He called upon the NRI community to join hands in building a new India. He said the NRIs are not only the Brand Ambassadors of India but also represent its strength, capabilities and characteristics. He urged the diaspora to participate in building a New India specially in research and innovation.

The PM said that with its rapid progress, India is being seen on a high pedestal across the world and is in a position to lead the global community. International Solar Alliance is one such example. He said that the local solution and global application is our mantra. He termed International Solar Alliance as a step in the direction of One World, One Sun, One Grid.

PM Modi said that India is on course to become a global economic powerhouse. It has one of the largest start-up ecosystems and world’s largest healthcare scheme to its credit. We have moved on with great strides in Make in India. A bumper harvest production has been our major achievement.

He lamented that due to lack of will power and proper policies of the previous Government, a large chunk of funds earmarked for them was not available to the beneficiaries. However today, the PM said, we have plugged the loopholes in the system with the help of technology. The loot of public money has been stopped and 85% of the lost money has been made available and transferred directly into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. He said that now Rs 5,80000 crore has transferred directly into people’s accounts over the past four and a half years. The PM narrated how 7 crore fake names have been struck off the list of beneficiaries, which is almost equal to the population of Britain, France and, Italy.

The PM said the diaspora is equally important in our resolve for a New India and added that their safety is also our concern and cited how the Government took upon the challenge of evacuating more than 2 lakh Indians stranded in conflict zones. Speaking about the welfare of Indians overseas, PM Modi said passport and visa rules have been simplified and evisa had made it much easier for them to travel. He urged overseas Indian to invite 5 non-Indian families to visit India.

Chief Guest of PBD -2019, Mauritius PM Pravind Jugnauth invoked the memories of Indian diaspora and their connect with the land of their forefathers. Speaking in Hindi and English, he said such gatherings reinforce the identity of overseas Indians as the members of one family with shared history and culture. He said, if India is unique, Indianness is universal. The Mauritian PM said that an educated and self reliant diaspora can play a major role in nation building and the diaspora connect can help multilateralism. He enthralled the crowd with his Bhojpuri dialect and announced that Mauritius will organise the first International Bhojpuri festival.

In her welcome address, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said India today feels proud under the dynamic leadership of PM Modi. She thanked Indian diaspora for their linkages with the motherland. Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath said PBD and Kumbh in Uttar Pradesh are a reflection of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.

Prime Minister Modi felicitated the winners of Bharat Ko Janiye quiz competition, according to a PIB release.