Punjab first state to prepare data base of students studying abroad: Jathedar Tota Singh

Chandigarh, June 18, 2014: The Punjab Government today gave final touch to the blue print to compile data base of students of Punjab studying abroad on study visa.
Jathedar Tota Singh, NRI Affairs Minister Punjab giving nod to the blue print said that a fool proof mechanism would be developed to collect data of all students on study visa in all countries. He said that this novel initiative has been taken to ensure safety of the students and to check their exploitation by  travel agents, so called students counselors and to provide them guidance regarding fake institute running abroad. He instructed the senior officials of the department to collect all details of students studying in various countries so that these students could be provided help in any kind of crises situation.
Jathedar Tota Singh said that online NRI grievance redressal system should be strengthened and complaints should be disposed of in time bound manner on fast track in a transparent way. He also stressed on the need to popularize the website of the department amongst the NRIs so that they could be brought to one platform and one channel should be adopted to redress their complaints so that accountability could be fixed. Minister said that he would monthly review the status of all NRI complaints and no complaints should be kept pending at any level otherwise the concerned officers would be held responsible.
Minister asked the officials to keep a tight check on agents doing frauds with innocent people. He also said that Additional Deputy Commissioners have been made nodal officers for redressing NRI matters at district level and they should be made accountable for disposing of NRI complaints in a time bound manner.
Jathedar Tota Singh said that he would soon meet Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to chalk out a strategy to hold Parvasi Punjab Divas in different zones such as Majha, Malwa & Doaba. He also said that more emphasis would be laid on the participation of common NRI’s in the sammelan to redress their problems at one platform without any delay.
Earlier in the meeting B. Purshartha Commissioner NRI Affairs Department briefed the Minister about the new initiatives being taken by the NRI Department to facilitate the NRI’s. He said that Punjab Government has launched a Privilege card for NRI’s which they could apply online and avail various facilities such as discounts and reservation in various fields. He also appealed to the NRI fraternity to get registered with the Punjab Government to avail such offers. He said that   Punjab government has brought a law that now NRI's can get their multiple properties vacated from tenants, 10% Reservation for NRIs in allocation of Residential and Industrial Plots in Punjab, NRls can now avail security from PESCO while on visit to Punjab, To prevent fraud in marriages Punjab Government has enacted Punjab Compulsory Registration of Marriages Act 2012, To prevent exploitation by fraudulent immigration consultants and travel agents Punjab Government has enacted "Prevention of Human Smuggling Act, 2012", and Punjab Government has put a check on registration of unwanted FIRs against NRIs by making it mandatory for SHOs to first get approval from the concerned DSP.