Come and be part of country's growth story: Govt to diaspora

The government on Saturday invited 25 million overseas Indians spread across the globe to be part of the country's growth story and promised to develop an "inclusive" agenda for their increased participation in developmental process.

The government on Saturday invited 25 million overseas Indians spread across the globe to be part of the country's growth story and promised to develop an "inclusive" agenda for their increased participation in developmental process.

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Terming the growth story as "an absorbing, exciting and a continuing one" President Pratibha Patil said the diverse Indian community can be an important input in India's march to becoming a developed country.

"There is immense capacity that you have both in talent and in financial terms, that can be invested in India. We hope to see your greater participation in the coming years in the development of India," she told in her address during the valedictory session of the Pravasi Bhartia Divas.

Seeking increased investment from the diaspora, Patil said the country's "strong capital market regulator" and financial institutions enabled it to cope with one of the worst economic downturns in recent history.

In the social infrastructure sector as also physical infrastructure development, India is looking at investment increasingly in the public-private partnership model, she said. "Our infrastructure financing needs are estimated to be over USD 500 billion in the next five years.

"In the post-crisis world, India is increasingly perceived as one of the principal engines of growth, a safe destination for investment."

Patil also conferred Pravasi Bharatiya Samman to 14 eminent overseas Indians from different walks of life including Deputy Speaker of New Jersy Assembly Upendra J Chivukula, South African Finance Minister Pravin Jamnadas Gordhan, Deepak Mittal from Thailand, Azad Moopen from UAE and Mani Lal Bhaumik from the US.