PM to unveil fresh diaspora initiatives on knowledge, investment
Thursday, 08 January 2009, 15:30 IST
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Chennai: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will Thursday launch three major initiatives to bring India closer with its 25 million diaspora in 130 countries in areas covering knowledge, investment and philanthropy. The Global Indian Network of Knowledge, or Global INK, will provide opportunity for professionals - individuals and organisations - among overseas Indians to engage as partners in development projects. The network will be a 'moderated group', coordinated by a knowledge manager supported by a small research team. "This is an electronic network that connects overseas Indians with the development process in India and empower members of our vast diaspora to partner in India's progress," said a senior official in the overseas Indian affairs ministry. "This network will serve as a strategic virtual think tank and connect people of Indian origin from a variety of disciplines who are leaders in their respective fields both in their country and globally," the official said on the margins of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD), the three-day annual conference of Indian diaspora that began here Wednesday. The other initiative concerns the India Development Foundation of Overseas Indians (IDFOI) announced by the prime minister at the previous edition of PBD. NRIs currently cannot implement a social/health/education improvement project in a place of their choice in India without prior government sanction. With the setting up of a trust they can route the money through IDFOI and implement the projects. According to an official, the government has finalised the board of trustees and has asked their consent to accept the trusteeship. The trust will have 12 trustees of which four each will be from prominent overseas and domestic Indians and four will be nominated by the Indian government. The prime minister is also expected to make an announcement relating to the Global Advisory Council constituted Tuesday.
Source: IANS
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