SUMMARY: It appears that
Mr P S Badal and his team absolutely forgot what they had stated in the
NRI samellan, just as soos as they had exited the building.
NRI ISSUES AND REMEDIES
Most of the NRI issues fit into 4 main brackets:
1. Assets in Punjab (land, property, bank deposits, shares, etc…)
2. Matrimonial
3. Litigation, mostly intra-family
4. Travel and transit
There are certain steps that this Government can to demonstrate
its positive intent on NRI affairs, including:
A. Define who is an NRI. The current provision is merely
those defined by the Income Tax statutes. This is unacceptable, as numerous
persons not deemed to be NRIs by these statutes are infact persons of
Indian origin.
B. Create a NRI Register. This can be web-based, launched
within 90 days. Registration can initially be provisional, and confirmed
in due course on submission of certified documents confirming the NRI
status of the individual.
C. Confirmed NRIs can be given the assurance that in case they are
implicated in any Punjab police enquiry or FIR, or any other enquiry
by any Punjab government department, the matter will be escalated by
the government for scrutiny by an officer 2 ranks higher than the routinely
responsible official. CM Punjab stated in May 2007 that all NRI complaints
who not be handled by anyone below the rank of DSP. At the Jan 08 samellan
CM Punjab confirmed that all NRI FIR would be re-examined by an officer
of SP rank. Yet daily hundreds of NRIs are hauled to police stations
for interrogation, or worse, mostly on false charges, with not a DSP
or SP in sight. As an MLA I can sadly confirm that there has been absolutely
no change in how the Punjab police approach NRI issues.
D. Publication of a Proclaimed Offenders Register on the Internet.
Sadly many NRIs only learn of such a status on arrival in India. The
government estimates that 1 in 7 of the 14,000 odd POs in Punjab are
NRIs. It is estimated that 1 in 4 Punjab Pos are NRI bridegrooms. The
Punjab governments assessment that there are only 1300 seems grossly
under-estimated. The vast majority of the NRIs were out of the country
when they were declared POs, meaning that all such declarations are
invalid. Yet harassment of returning POs and their families represents
possibly the single largest source of income for the Punjab Police.
C. Creation of a Register of NRI Assets, which would allow NRIs to
voluntarily register their assets in Punjab and the formation of the
Office of the Protector of NRI assets, which would have responsibility
of communicating with NRIs regarding their assets and would also be
responsible for consenting to any transactions in any asset so registered.
The Protector of NRI Assets should be of the rank of the Secretary to
the Government of Punjab. Such a Register could be viewed as gold dust
by the land mafia, but I expect this government to fully respect and
protect NRI assets. I also accept that not all NRIs will be willing
to register their assets, especially where the acquisition funds have
not been routed through proper banking channels, but I believe that
it is the duty of this government to offer such a facility.
D. The NRI nambardar scheme has failed to be effective. The government
needs to be more committed to the amended East Punjab Urban rent Restriction
Act, which in 2005 the Supreme Court determined that the NRI need not
be a returning NRI to claim the property.
E. NRI marriages are essential to the economy of Punjab and to the
maintenance of Punjabi culture amongst NRI Punjabis. However, many are
forced, false or outright dishonest, and lead to the inevitable subsequent
complaints, police actions and litigation. This problem could be substantially
reduced if the NRI partner is made responsible to present 3 overseas
character references from individuals that have visited Punjab in the
preceding 24-month period. This would make it less likely that previous
marriages and children from earlier marriages are concealed by the NRI
partner. NRI partners not presenting any such references would not receive
the support of the Punjab Government in the event that the marriage
fails. Where marriages do break down the overseas referees could be
called to account in some manner.
By moving forward on the above this government would be able to demonstrate
its positive intent towards NRIs. Only then will this government be able
to make an effective pitch for NRI investments in Punjab.
Why not follow the lead of the Andhra Pradesh government, which is researching
a group insurance scheme for NRIs?
Why is the government not sincere on the Assisted Funding Scheme, where
countless NRIs have contributed their 50% or, as now, 75% share only to
fine that the village project lanquishes for want of Government participation?
Why not make the Government contribution mandatory within 60 days?
Why not make the NRI sabhas more effective? Conceived in 1996 the number
of successful case resolutions by these august bodies would not fill a
single page.
The above proposals are readily deliverable by this Punjab government
within a reasonable time-scale. If implemented these would provide an
excellent platform for further NRI-specific initiatives.
The Punjab government needs to learn a lesson from the centre’s
NRI functions over the past few years where real NRI problems have been
debated in great detail and new legislation efficiently introduced.
This Government needs to acts urgently on NRI issues whilst first generation
migrants still have some interest in Punjab. Deliberate and you will never
see anything of note from subsequent generations.
CLOSURE
The fact that the Punjab government decided not to hold a NRI samellan
next month in Punjab is an admuission of its absolute failure to honour
the commitments made at Jalandhar in January 08.
This year the Punjab government chose to hide behind the Punjab NRI Sabha,
only for the CM and SAD President to be absent !!
This government does not appear to be serious about NRI issues. The remedies
foe some are so simple to implement that it is incredible why this government
cannot even take the simplest action to redress NRI issues.
Where is the NRI investment that Mr Sukhbir Badal predicted so proudly
at Jalandhar in January 08?
In reality most NRIs do not have a vote in India. There local relatives
do. That is why this government has effectively decided to ignore NRI
concerns.
All governments need to do much more to involve NRIs in the development
of this state. Sadly, this government simply wishes that NRIs are a problem
that they would rather do without.
That is why this father and son duo has not been on a single NRI contact
visit to the UK, Canada or the USA.
The government needs to organise interactive sessions with NRIs in the
host countries in at least 10 locations: London, Birmingham, Toronto,
Vancouver, New York, San Francisco, Dubai, Singapore, Sidney and Auckland.
CM Punjab should attend all of these personally.
Only then will NRIs accept that there is some intent on the part of
this government to assist NRIs.
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