Nationalist Congress Party opens unit in US

NEW YORK: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has launched its flagship operation in the United States with the opening of the NCP North America Inc.

Recalling that his party was only 11-years-old, India's civil aviation minister Praful Patel described the presence of the NCP in the United States as an "important milestone."

"Everyone starts with small steps but then it leads to bigger things in the future," he told journalists in New York City after launch of the party unit yesterday.

"We will work towards strengthening the cause of the Non Resident Indians (NRIs) in the US."

Patel was part of a nine-member delegation from India which included agriculture minister and NCP president Sharad Pawar.

Both Patel and Pawar underlined their commitment to address one of the big complaints of the NRIs which deal with recent change in visa regime.

"We will discuss this issue," said Patel. Indian-Americans have pointed that the Indian government's visa polices are "unfair" since their presence abroad contributes to India's growth and development through large remittances and foreign direct investments (FDIs).

Lal Dadlaney, general secretary of the NCP in the US, underlined that the NCP unit in the US was "not a political organisation" but a forum to reflect on concerns of Indians living in the US, which will "give voice to the voiceless."

Both Patel and Pawar also spoke about other issues connected with their portfolios in India.

Pawar, for instance, noted that the recent storage of grain dilemma was a "success story" for democracy since the media's persistence on the matter had led to a judicial response on the issue.

"I am confident that in one year time, we will be able to resolve the problem of storage," Pawar said.

Patel reiterated his support for constructing the new airport at Navi Mumbai, noting that "due care" has been taken in picking that spot and the environmental concerns needs to be balanced with India's developmental needs.

"There will be a positive solution," he said.