Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia, Public Relations, Revenue and NRI Minister, Punjab reviewed the arrangements for the forthcoming NRI Sammelan to be held in Punjab from January 3 to 5. Addressing a high level meeting, the Minister said that elected representatives MPs, MLAs, present mayors, councilors would attend the Sammelan. The Punjab government has also planned a visit for the visiting delegates to the historical places in Punjab.Taking a major decision to facilitate the NRIs, the Punjab government has also authorized the Deputy Commissioner’s to attest the Power of Attorney along with the pisional Commissioners. He also said that the state government would set up NRI police stations in all the districts. As many as 6 NRI Police stations have already been set up in the state. The government has completed all the formalities of setting up NRI Police station at Amritsar, said Mr. Majithia.Adding further, the Minister said that the state government would launch an interactive website for NRIs in the month of December to facilitate them. To cater to the legal needs of the NRIs, the Minister said that the Punjab government would establish a Legal NRI Cell which would extend all possible help to the NRIs in their legal cases. He has directed the Deputy Commissioners to give priority to the matters concerning NRIs in their daily meetings.
Referring to the security arrangements being extended to the NRIs during the Sammelan, the Minister said that the Punjab State Ex-Servicemen Corporation (PESCO) has been assigned to ensure proper security cover to NRIs. The Minister also announced the holding of the NRI Sabha elections on January 27, 2013. He said that the election date was fixed keeping in mind the NRI Sammelan to be held in the first week of January in Punjab where a large number of NRIs are expected to participate.On the demand of the Advisory Committee and the NRIs, the state government has put an end to the system of nominee voting in the forthcoming NRI Sabha elections, said the Minister. He also said that after the elections, the allocation of work or portfolios would be done by the President himself instead of the Chairman.
The government has taken adequate steps to protect the properties of the NRIs in Punjab. The SSPs have been asked to ensure the forceful implementation of these steps at the grass root levels so that the NRI properties could be protected from the illegal occupants.With regard to acknowledging the use of NRI cards as their Identity cards for availing the benefits of various government schemes, the Minister said that the matter would be taken at the level of the central government. Jathedar Tota Singh MLA, Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema ,Mr. Pargat Singh all MLA,Former Union Minster, Mr. Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, former MLA Sarabjit Singh Makkar, Mr. S.S.Channi, Secretary NRI Affairs, S.R.Ladhar pisional Commissioner Jalandhar, Priyank Bharti Deputy Commissioner Jalandhar, Alak Nanda DC Kapurthala and representatives of NRI Sabha were also present in the meeting.