sushilsehrawat
January 4th, 2003, 09:32 AM
Govt giving final shape to dual citizenship for PIOs
Press Trust of India
New Delhi, January 3
Government is giving final shape to a proposal to accord dual citizenship to people of Indian origin (PIO) abroad by bringing amendments to the Citizenship Act.
In all likelihood, an announcement in this regard is expected to be made by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on January nine when he will inaugurate the 'Pravasi Bharatiya Divas'.
"This matter is in a very advance stage," J C Sharma, Secretary in the External Affairs Ministry told reporters when asked about it adding "discussions are at the highest level in the Government".
Pressed further, he said the issue is at the "final decision-making stage" and that "various inputs are being harmonised. At this stage, that is the maximum I can say".
He said in principle there was acceptance of this move. Indians settled abroad have been pushing this demand for a long time.
The Indian diaspora is 20 million strong and spread over 110 countries in all the five continents. In December, 2001, a high level committee headed by noted jurist and former Ambassador to Britain, L M Singhvi submitted its report to the Prime Minister in which a strong case was made out for conferring dual citizenship on the diaspora.
Vajpayee is expected to convene a high-level meeting to give finishing touches to the proposal.
In its report, the committee had recommended that Pravasi Bharatiya Divas be observed on January nine every year in recognition and appreciation of the constructive, political and philanthropic role played by the Indian diaspora.
The day has been so chosen as it was on this day that Mahatma Gandhi, himself a non-resident Indian in South Africa for almost two decades, finally returned to India to lead the freedom struggle.
The main objectives are to understand the sentiments of NRIs and PIOs about the country and create a policy framework for a sustained and productive interaction and to acquaint the Indian people with the achievements of the Indian diaspora and their expectations from India.
It also aims at creating a network of the Indian diaspora across 110 countries and recognise the contribution made by this segment towards improving India's relationship with the host countries.
In a message, Mauritian Prime Minister Sir Anerood Jugnauth said annual exercise would provide an opportunity to the people of Indian origin not only to renew ties with their ancestral land but also build up new alliances and explore fresh areas of cooperation.
Jugnauth will join a galaxy of PIOs at the three-day meet. Among them are Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Bismillah Khan, both have been honoured with Bharat Ratna, Nobel Laureates V S Naipaul and Amartya Sen, Sam Pitroda, Lord Dholakia and Lord Bagri from UK and former premier of British Columbia in Canada, Ujjal Dosanjh.
Press Trust of India
New Delhi, January 3
Government is giving final shape to a proposal to accord dual citizenship to people of Indian origin (PIO) abroad by bringing amendments to the Citizenship Act.
In all likelihood, an announcement in this regard is expected to be made by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on January nine when he will inaugurate the 'Pravasi Bharatiya Divas'.
"This matter is in a very advance stage," J C Sharma, Secretary in the External Affairs Ministry told reporters when asked about it adding "discussions are at the highest level in the Government".
Pressed further, he said the issue is at the "final decision-making stage" and that "various inputs are being harmonised. At this stage, that is the maximum I can say".
He said in principle there was acceptance of this move. Indians settled abroad have been pushing this demand for a long time.
The Indian diaspora is 20 million strong and spread over 110 countries in all the five continents. In December, 2001, a high level committee headed by noted jurist and former Ambassador to Britain, L M Singhvi submitted its report to the Prime Minister in which a strong case was made out for conferring dual citizenship on the diaspora.
Vajpayee is expected to convene a high-level meeting to give finishing touches to the proposal.
In its report, the committee had recommended that Pravasi Bharatiya Divas be observed on January nine every year in recognition and appreciation of the constructive, political and philanthropic role played by the Indian diaspora.
The day has been so chosen as it was on this day that Mahatma Gandhi, himself a non-resident Indian in South Africa for almost two decades, finally returned to India to lead the freedom struggle.
The main objectives are to understand the sentiments of NRIs and PIOs about the country and create a policy framework for a sustained and productive interaction and to acquaint the Indian people with the achievements of the Indian diaspora and their expectations from India.
It also aims at creating a network of the Indian diaspora across 110 countries and recognise the contribution made by this segment towards improving India's relationship with the host countries.
In a message, Mauritian Prime Minister Sir Anerood Jugnauth said annual exercise would provide an opportunity to the people of Indian origin not only to renew ties with their ancestral land but also build up new alliances and explore fresh areas of cooperation.
Jugnauth will join a galaxy of PIOs at the three-day meet. Among them are Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Bismillah Khan, both have been honoured with Bharat Ratna, Nobel Laureates V S Naipaul and Amartya Sen, Sam Pitroda, Lord Dholakia and Lord Bagri from UK and former premier of British Columbia in Canada, Ujjal Dosanjh.