GOVT
EXTENDS DUAL CITIZENSHIP TO NRIS
There's good news
for the sons of India living abroad . The government has decided
to extend dual citizenship to all those Indians who migrated
after January 26, 1950, as long as their home countries allowed
it under the local laws.
Earlier, the option
to be a citizen of two nations was available only to Indians
staying in select - mostly Western - nations. This too was
initiated only in 2003 at the 1st Pravasi Bharatiya Divas
during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee regime.
Inaugurating the
3rd Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Mumbai, Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh said his government will simplify the application procedure
for citizenship for overseas Indians. A new user-friendly
form, combining the three forms prescribed earlier, has also
been evolved and will be notified soon, he added.
Mr Singh admitted
that there had been delays in implementing the dual citizenship
scheme, but assured that the new ministry of overseas Indians'
affairs, would help speed up matters.
The Prime Minister
said that his government would simplify the format of the
certificate of registration for overseas citizens of India.
Various options, including the possibility of introducing
a smart card, are being considered, Singh added.
Later Finance Minister
P Chidambaram gave an indication that India would liberalise
FDI norms for property development. He said that there could
be different investment limits for rural and urban areas.
At present, the
minimum threshold limit is 100 acres. He indicated that this
may be brought down. A lower limit will give investors access
to a wider range of property projects in India and will in
turn enhance the FDI flow into the sector.
Earlier, the Prime
Minister reiterated his government's NRI-friendly stance,
saying that his government had unveiled a civil aviation policy
to meet the requirements of overseas Indians by allowing domestic
private airlines to fly abroad. He said the government was
building new international airports in major metros and would
soon modernise 30 other airports across the country.
About 2,500 delegates, including 1,500 overseas Indians from
60 countries, are participating in the three-day meet which
will also have a special plenary session on disaster management
in view of the tsunami tragedy, and problems faced by Indians
in the Gulf.
The Prime Minister
said the government will initiate talks with governments of
the Gulf to allow NRIs to invest in Indian debt and equity
as well as open accounts with banks in India.
He noted that India
owes a lot to the people of Indian origin in the Persian Gulf,
whose regular financial remittances home have played an important
role in building the country's foreign exchange reserves to
over $130 billion.
Singh said that
there are many issues of concern for NRIs in the Gulf, including
those pertaining to work contracts and conditions. He assured
them that the ministry of overseas Indian affairs would try
to resolve these issues and protect their returns on savings.
