by Moiz Mannan
Property disputes, illegal migration and abandoned brides are the three top issues that come to mind at the mention of non-resident Indians (NRIs) from the northern state of Punjab.
The enterprise, enthusiasm and never-say-die attitude of Punjabis have found them achieve success in their chosen fields across the globe but most of them have dedicatedly maintained their ties with the homeland. For this reason, they frequently run into government agencies. The government too is keen to rope in their money to boost the local economies.
Overall and a new study shows their experience is not worth writing home about. The report, compiled by the Indian Institute of Management – Bangalore, suggests that bureaucratic inefficiency, corruption and lack of political will are preventing overseas Punjabis from investing in their state as much as they would otherwise want to.
A state that is expected to become power surplus by 2013 and has been top ranked for four years running by India Today’s ‘State of the States’ survey, now seems to have a job on its hands wooing its diaspora. In order to attract NRI investments, the state has planned a three-day ‘NRI Sammelan’ (meet)for Punjabi representatives from abroad in early January, ahead of the pan India ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.’
The IIM-B study, though deals only with Punjabi NRIs in the UK, can be considered to be representative of the state’s diaspora all over the world. Not very long ago the North American Punjabi Association (NAPA), for example, had issued a statement to say that the so-called welfare measures were meant to divert the attention from the “real problem” which was the “corrupt” system.
One of the major deterrents before the NRIs, who are used to efficient and transparent systems, is the corruption and bureaucracy they run into at all levels. So, rather than wholeheartedly involve themselves in major investments, the NRI Punjabis have restricted themselves to picking up a property here and there or setting a small business or industry.
Respondents in the study felt that other manpower exporting states of India like Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are making more sincere and effective efforts to make the investment climate attractive for their diaspora abroad.
Even without the said study, the Punjab government surely knew it was way behind in availing of the full investment potential of its people living and working abroad. Reports from Punjeb regarding the proposed NRI meet suggest that the state’s Deputy Chief Minister, Sukhbir Singh Badal, is going the whole hog in promoting the state’s potential.
Touching upon the most sensitive problem facing NRIs, Sukhbir was said to have asked a top police official in charge of NRI Affairs to finalise a scheme for protection of properties of NRIs, under which NRIs while going abroad would notify the area SHO, who would protect the property from encroachment, illegal alienation and would be responsible for any failure.
He was further reported to have asked Home Affairs and other concerned department to put up the Bills regarding Human Trafficking Act, Compulsory Registration of Marriages of NRIs and amendment in the Revenue Act for getting the property of NRIs vacated from tenancy in the December session of Vidhan Sabha, so that these acts could be notified for well before the NRI Sammellan.
It was decided in the meeting that PUDA would allot a site in Mohali for NRI Bhawan and foundation stone of the Bhawan would be laid during the NRI Sammelan, said reports from Chandigarh.
The state has already announced that it was giving the final touches to a new industrial policy in which there would be special incentives and privileges to NRIs.
The Pioneer has quoted office-bearers of the North American Punjabi Association (NAPA), for example, to say that these steps are meant to divert the attention from the “real problem” which is the “corrupt” system.
The Peninsula
