E-Paper
Organisational Structure
The Committee found that our Diaspora wishes to engage its country of origin, India, in a number of diverse areas and activities that range from trade, investment, education, health, science and technology to culture and philanthropy.
The Committee found that our Diaspora wishes to engage its country of origin, India, in a number of diverse areas and activities that range from trade, investment, education, health, science and technology to culture and philanthropy. However these - attempts have often resulted in frustration, generating the single most important and widespread request from the Diaspora, i.e. - for a mechanism for liaison and effective intervention with official authorities such as the police, Central and State Governments, local district administrations, PWDs, SEBs, investment promotion bureaus, education and welfare departments, schools, banks, and other specialised bodies dealing with matters concerning the Diaspora.
While recognizing the enormous reservoir of skills, talent, technology, idealism and funds available with the Indian Diaspora, and the need for major structural and administrative reforms to optimally leverage these invaluable assets, the Committee strongly felt that the most important means to this end is to institute a single-window contact mechanism for the NRI/PIOs in the form of an autonomous, dedicated, empowered central office to address their needs, and at the same time ensure their engagement with India.
The Committee studied in detail various models including those of the ICCR and other Commissions, as well as the governmental organisations created by some other countries with sizeable Diasporas, such as Poland, Japan, Philippines, Lebanon, Italy, Greece, China and Israel.
In doing so, the Committee noted that all the countries with successful Diasporas have well-funded, well-staffed organisations. The Committee also reviewed past attempts at creating offices in the Government of India for handling NRI/P1O affairs. Based on this review, the Committee felt that a fresh attempt had to be made to create an empowered, flexible and dedicated set-up capable of handling the multiple issues generated by the Diaspora's interactions with India.
The Committee felt that the obvious choice for a model is the Planning Commission of India. The Committee therefore recommended:
1) The setting up of an autonomous and empowered body structured along the lines of the Planning Commission, headed by the Prime Minister as Chairperson ex-officio. There would be a full-time Deputy Chairperson with the rank of a Cabinet Minister.
The organisation would have 5 full time members including the Deputy Chairperson, dealing with science and technology, socio-cultural matters, education, media, trade, investment and all economic issues, health care, philanthropy and NGOs, including a Member-Secretary in charge of coordination and of the mechanism for redressal/dispute resolution.
The members of the Diaspora would be eligible to become a member of the organisation provided he/she resided in o India for a substantial part of each year of his/her tenure. There would also be a Governing Body and an Advisory Council and the members of the Diaspora would also be eligible to become members of those bodies.
2) The setting up of a small Sub-Committee composed of up to 11 MPs under the Standing Committee of External Affairs - to enable the interaction of the proposed organisation with Parliament.
3) The proposed organisation should be allowed to form a foundation to receive charitable and philanthropic donations. It should be also allowed to generate funds through sponsorships from private individuals and corporations.
4) The organisation should also possess a redressal/dispute resolution mechanism under the charge of the Member-Secretary. The Member Secretary could also discharge "the functions of a central nodal point in addressing the specific problems related to overseas blue-collar workers and liaising with the concerned Government departments at the central and State level, our Missions abroad and the workers themselves.
The Committee also made recommendations on the organisations needed to be created at the State level, as well as the support structures required abroad to interact effectively with the central organisation.
At the same time the Committee noted that local problems are best dealt with in that country using tried and tested routes. Appointment of an Ambassador in any one country harbouring the Diaspora confines India's links to that country alone and also tends to undermine the effectiveness and authority of the Indian Ambassador or High Commissioner in that country.
The Committee recommended the appointment of a Minister level Officer in Indian Missions in countries with a sizable Diaspora. The Committee recommended that advisory councils could be constituted comprising of eminent NRls/PIOs in the respective countries to advise the Mission on Diaspora-related matters.
The Committee also examined in depth the present mechanisms extant in the various states. While appreciating the efforts of many State Governments to address the issues, it, however, observed that a lot remained to be done. The Committee felt that State governments needed to work in close cooperation with the Central organisation and accordingly recommended to them to set up dedicated organisations to liaise with the central set-up and to effectively handle local problems encountered by NRls/PIOs.
