Modi government launches consultation process on diaspora related issues

NEW DELHI: The Modi government has launched year-long consultation process on various diaspora related issues, including investments from Indian diaspora members for PM's flagships projects a little over a month after the Ministry of Overseas Affairs was merged with the MEA. The first in this series of consultations proposed to be held over a period of 10 months was held here on Saturday involving various stakeholders including Ministers, senior officials and autonomous bodies.

The objective of this process of consultation is aimed at generating and streamlining ideas for role of diaspora in promoting various schemes of the Modi government including flagship projects from cleaning of Ganges to Digital India to Start up India. Besides consular issues of the huge Indian diaspora, tourism promotion and healthcare related issues, informed people familiar with the development issues.

Authorities hinted that one such consultative meeting will be held every month and each sitting will deliberate one issue involving the diaspora.Sources familiar with the matters informed that the Saturday meeting where Foreign Minister was present deliberated on how to effectively implement the projects for which money is donated by diaspora, in a timely manner.

The India Development Foundation of Overseas Indians (IDF-OI) a not-for- profit Trust (chaired by Swaraj) and established by the government in 2008 to serve as a credible institutional avenue to enable overseas Indians to engage in social and development projects in India will play key role in the consultation process.

In 2015-16, IDF-OI will partner with the Modi government's flagship initiatives like the Namami Gange, and Swachh Bharat and facilitate overseas Indian philanthropy into these projects. IDF-OI will also partner with the State Govts to offer projects identified by the State Governments. It will seek overseas Indians' contribution to these projects for India's social & development programme, informed government sources.

Connecting with the Non-Resident Indians and Indian diaspora has been key element of the Modi government's foreign policy agenda. Nearly 12 years after it was set up to improve engagement with the Indian diaspora, the government in January decided to merge the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) with the External Affairs Ministry in sync with its broad principle of minimum government, maximum governance. The proposal for merger was cleared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi following suggestion from Swaraj who was earlier holding both MEA and MOIA portfolios.