Punjab announces high-level panel for NRIs

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal announced the formation of the high-level committee on NRI affairs comprising five senior cabinet ministers and an equal number of Punjabi NRIs settled across the globe as representatives.

Addressing the Punjabi diaspora here after inaugurating the two-day "Pravasi Punjabi Sammellan-2013", Badal assured that the recommendations of the committee would be implemented in a time bound manner.

Most of the issues raised by the NRIs at the conference related to property that they own in Punjab.

Badal said: "Our government is committed to ensuring the security of hard-earned property of the NRIs so that they can live and work peacefully in the countries of their adoption."

He said the state government has come out with a landmark legislation which makes compulsory the registration of marriages to check the menace of fraudulent and fake marriages.

Another legislation, Human Trafficking and Smuggling Act, has been brought to prevent the illegal practice of emigrating innocent youth to other countries by the unscrupulous travel agents and dumping them later, he added.

The chief minister also announced that in future, NRIs would get their multiple properties evicted multiple times. So far, under the existing provisions of law, the NRIs could only get one property evicted only once.

Badal also announced the setting up of three more NRI police stations for quick disposal of complaints related to NRIs. With this, the total number of NRI police stations across Punjab will go up to 11. He also announced the setting up of a fast-track court for NRI affairs in the state to ensure quick dispensation of justice.