Broken promises,high crime rate keep NRIs from investing in state

The state government had launched a scheme in which if an NRI contributes 25 per cent for a development project at his native place,the government financed the remaining 75 per cent share but there are hardly any takers for it. One of the NRIs,Dr Gurdev Gill from Canada,who made substantial contribution and initiated developmental works in 13 places to prpvide for underground sewerage,drinking water supply and solar lighting,said he is keen to undertake more such projects but rues that “There are too many hassles and red-tapism. The government officials do not let us work and give us a free hand. We are putting our money but their matching grant comes very late and the material gets damaged. The government has to change its mindset,’’ he adds.

An eight-member NRI advisory committee was to be constituted in 2008 by the state government to look into NRI issues but no such committee has been set up. The assurances included NRI family courts, NRI university,SP (NRI) in each district,an interactive website for NRIs and promise to hold NRI sammelans twice in a year but all these promises till date remains on paper. The government,however,opened a few NRI police stations,revenue courts for NRIs and a judicial court in Jalandhar.

Kamaljit Singh Hayre,President NRI Sabha,Punjab,says,“The NRI Police stations’ working has to be improved now as police commissionerates have been established in Jalandhar and Ludhiana. The jurisdiction of the police stations are limited to the city limits. What about NRIs in rural areas,as their complaints are not entertained anywhere,so a separate NRI Wing should be established headed by an IGP-level officer and SP (zonal). Also,the revenue courts should be made fast-track with a one-week deadline as the cases remain pending and proper working of the NRI judicial court at Jalandhar is needed.’’

“There is no system with the state government to attract their investments,they should create single window system for them and streamline the system also to win back their system,’’ said Hayre.

To attract NRI attention,the government is now making claims about reforms and reducing the harassment that the common man has to face in government offices for getting routine things done,such as securing driving licences,getting complaints registered in police stations and securing routine revenue documents like the copies of FIRs,the fards or birth and death certificates.

Varinder Sharma,Member of Parliament in UK,said,“The policies of the state government are not practical; they are for big companies to put money and not for a common NRI who wants to invest some 10,000 to 20,000 pounds,as they feel that their investment is not safe here. There are many instances of their properties back here being grabbed by influential people. Also,these polices announced by the state government are not practical on ground as a normal NRI still feels that the law and order machinery is hand in glove with perpetrators of crime.’’

“I was offered state guest status but did not take it as I was on a private visit,’’ he added.

Kuldeep Singh Kular,Minister of Health and Long Term Care in the province of Ontario,Canada,said,“The Punjab government has made mere announcements and done nothing on ground. Making these NRI police stations does not serve any purpose. The state government should make a concrete policy for NRI investment in the state and give incentives like Gujarat and Maharashtra governments are doing,only then will NRIs invest here.’’

On his recent visit to India,Sukh Dhaliwal,Member of Parliament from British Columbia,had said that a separate tribunal is needed for NRIs for solving their property or matrimonial disputes and NRIs are ready to support anyone who works for their cause back here.

Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Capt Balbir Singh Bath said,“We have lost the confidence of the NRI community,it might be any government of any party,so why will they invest in the state,first we have to build their confidence,for which we are taking steps and one will see a sea-change in the coming days,for the meetings have started at the administrative and police level.’’