Badal writes to Sibal on issuing SIM cards to NRIs

Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday sought the intervention of union minister for communications and information technology Kapil Sibal to put in place a mechanism to issue local mobile phone SIM cards to non-resident Indians (NRIs) on the basis of their foreign passport.

Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday sought the intervention of union minister for communications and information technology Kapil Sibal to put in place a mechanism to issue local mobile phone SIM cards to non-resident Indians (NRIs) on the basis of their foreign passport.

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In a letter sent to Sibal, the CM said NRIs were facing difficulties in getting SIM cards while visiting India as they didn't possess local identification papers.

The chief minister urged Sibal to get this genuine demand of NRIs examined and issue necessary guidelines for allowing them to use local SIM cards.

The issue had been raised by ministers, MPs, MLAs, councillors and mayors from across the world during the Punjabi NRI Sammellan organised by the state government on January 4-5.