Ruling out any provision for an non-resident Indian nominee in Parliament, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi has asked the diaspora to make 'intellectual' contributions to their motherland, along with financial investments.
"We want partnership with NRIs not only for financial contributions to their motherland, but for intellectual ones also," he told a gathering of non-resident Indians at the India House on Wednesday night.
Asked specifically whether government would consider nominating an NRI representative in Parliament, the minister replied in the negative.
He, however, said the issue could be raised at the seven-day Pravasi Bharatiya Divas commencing in Delhi from January 7, 2007.
"We are very much in the world arena and everyone is taking note of India as an emerging economic power," he said.
Referring to various measures undertaken by the Manmohan Singh government for all-round development of the country, Ravi said the government was keen to involve NRIs in these plans.
He noted that a number of leading NRI doctors from the US had already agreed to adopt a village each in a couple of states to provide proper healthcare. He said some of the NRIs had also opened speciality hospitals in Bangalore.
High Commissioner Kamalesh Sharma said, "Everyone regards us as the sunrise phenomenon of this century." He said Indians were doing very well both at home and abroad.
The mayor of London, Ken Livingstone has decided to declare the year 2007 as the Year of India, he said, adding he would also open his representative office in Mumbai.
