The incumbent party at the Centre, the United Progressive Alliance released its performance report for 2004-07, which included the measures taken for NRIs and PIOs. Following are some of the achievements of the government in its attempt to bring NRIs at par with resident Indians by extending economic, financial and educational facilities.

• Since the Overseas Citizenship of India scheme was launched during the 4th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in January 2006, 36,000 OCI cards have been issued to overseas Indians. 78,000 applications were received by the Government by the end of 2006, of which 36,000 have been processed.



• Multi-purpose, multi-entry visa benefits were extended to those falling under the OCI category, with the added advantage of stay in India without registering at the Foreigners’ Registration Office.



• The UPA government had also enabled NRIs to register in the electoral rolls of their constituency in India.



• The concerns of Indian workers abroad have been addressed through agreements with countries in Europe and the Gulf, where Indians reside in large numbers. An agreement with Belgium exempts NRIs on short term contracts in that country to make contributions to the social security fund. Social security benefits for those NRIs on a long-term contract include transfer of their dues to India upon their termination of contract with the employer and return to India. Similar agreements are on the cards with the Netherlands, France and Sweden.



• Labour welfare pacts have been signed with the governments of the UAE and Kuwait, where a large unskilled NRI population resides. The Labour Agreement would streamline recruitment, thwart terms and conditions unfavorable to Indian workers, authenticate employment contracts, and enforce onus of protecting the interests of the employee on the employers.



• NRIs working in Bahrain, Oman and Malaysia would be similarly protected once proposed agreements with these agreements are put in place.



• During the last Pravasi Bharatiya Divas held in January this year, a university for NRI students was announced.



• A working committee to address the issues faced by harassed wives of truant NRI husbands has been set up

This is the UPA government’s third annual report since it came into power in 2004, and attempts to bring answerability to the administration.

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