17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) convention organized in Indore
Recently the Prime Minister has inaugurated the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention in Indore.
- Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is celebrated once in every two years. It aims to strengthen the engagement of the overseas Indian community with the Government of India. Also, they have to reconnect with their Indian roots.
- Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa on 09 January 1915. It is celebrated in his memory.
- The theme of this year’s PBD conference was “Pravasis: Reliable Partners for India’s Progress in the Age of Amrit Kaal”.
- Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards are given under PBD. Under this, Indian expatriates are rewarded for creating a better understanding of India abroad, supporting Indian interests and working for the welfare of the local Indian community.
- A diaspora is a community of people from the same homeland who have migrated to different countries/jurisdictions.
Importance of overseas Indians-
- Help strengthen the identity of Brand India.
- Remittances sent by overseas Indians are helpful in socio-economic development.
- Act as bridges, mediators, facilitators, lobbies and advocacy groups in international fora.
- Help promote entrepreneurship in the form of transfer of technical knowledge and finance.
- On the occasion of PBD, India and the United Kingdom have launched the Young Professionals Scheme.
- Under this, 3,000 degree holder citizens of both the countries in the age group of 18 to 30 years will be allowed to live and work in India and United Kingdom for a period of two years.
Source – The Hindu
