Key decisions likely at Pravasi Bharatiya Divas

The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2006 (PBD) is likely to come out with certain important decisions on various issues, including creation of special purpose vehicles (SPVs) that can facilitate overseas Indians investment in India, e-remittance gateway for overseas Indians and on conferring the right to vote on people of Indian origin in various countries.

The three-day conference, to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, will kick off on Saturday with a round table on 'India: The Knowledge Powerhouse', which would be followed by three plenary sessions on 'Defining a diaspora agenda', 'Diaspora Collaboration in Healthcare' and 'Remittance Services'.

The key speakers for these include Mohanbir Sawhney, Sunil Khilnani, Vijay Kohli and finance minister P Chidambaram, respectively. There will be nine parallel sessions, six panel sessions and two round table conferences.

Addressing the media on the eve of the conference here on Friday, Union minister of state for overseas Indian affairs Oscar Fernandes said that the issue of conferring the right to vote on overseas Indians was under active consideration and a decision in this regard would be taken during the course of the conference.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy said that the state would showcase its potential to overseas Indians. He, however, said that the event was primarily intended to develop a rapport with overseas Indians.

Secretary of overseas Indian affairs Krishna Kumar said that though security had been one of the major concerns for participants after the recent incident at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, it would not affect PBD.

So far, more than 1,000 overseas delegates from 40 countries have registered to take part and the number is expected to go up as the spot registrations are still going on. The event would cost the Union government Rs 3 crore, he said in reply to a question.