US: Indian

US: Indian-Americans raise diaspora concerns, suggestions for Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in meet with MEA Secretary Sripriya Ranganathan

New York [US], October 3 (ANI): Prominent Indian diaspora leader and Chairman of Jaipur Foot USA Prem Bhandari, along with Ankur Vaidya, Chairman, FIA (NY-NJ-CT-NE); Ajay Patel, President, BRUHUD New York Seniors; and Alok Kumar, Trustee, FIA, held a separate and detailed meeting in New York with Sripriya Ranganathan, Secretary (CPV & OIA), Ministry of External Affairs. Ambassador Binaya Srikanta Pradhan, Consul General of India in New York, was also present during the meeting.

Secretary Ranganathan is on an extensive US outreach visit covering New York, Texas, San Francisco and Seattle, interacting with the Indian diaspora to listen to their concerns, understand challenges faced by overseas Indians and seek suggestions, including for the forthcoming Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD), according to an official press release on Friday.

As part of this outreach, several separate meetings were also organised at the Consulate General of India in New York with diaspora leaders representing different major community organisations, providing an opportunity for a broad cross-section of the Indian-American community to share their views and concerns. During the other stops on her US visit, Secretary Ranganathan has also been engaging with diaspora leaders, community representatives, professionals and other stakeholders as part of this wider effort to strengthen direct engagement with overseas Indians.

Following the detailed interaction, Bhandari had high praise for Secretary Ranganathan’s approach. “I have been in the United States for nearly four decades, and this is the first time I have seen a Secretary (CPV & OIA) undertake such an extensive outreach in the United States to personally understand the problems and concerns of the Indian diaspora. We deeply appreciate her patience, accessibility and willingness to listen,” Bhandari said, the press release stated.

During the meeting, Bhandari raised several longstanding issues affecting Indians overseas, including simplification and greater consistency in passport renewal and re-issue procedures; improvement in VFS and consular services; and curbing unauthorised agents and middlemen who exploit applicants.

Bhandari also specifically highlighted the serious problem of NRI properties and land being illegally grabbed in India, which has become a major concern for overseas Indians who are often unable to remain physically present in India to protect their properties or pursue lengthy legal proceedings. He suggested fast-track mechanisms/courts for NRI property disputes, greater use of video conferencing for court and administrative hearings, and a national-level NRI coordination mechanism to assist overseas Indians facing property-related problems.

Concerns regarding false FIRs and misuse of legal provisions against NRIs were also raised, along with the need to strengthen 24/7 emergency consular assistance for Indians in distress abroad, the press release noted.

Ankur Vaidya, who has attended 16 of the 18 Pravasi Bharatiya Divas conventions, shared suggestions based on his extensive experience on measures that could further strengthen diaspora participation and make the forthcoming PBD more meaningful and successful.

The interaction also highlighted the important role played by community organisations in supporting people in need and keeping the Indian-American community closely connected with India through culture, education, business, technology and humanitarian service.

Recent Government initiatives, including e-OCI, chip-enabled passports and Fast Track Immigration, were also highlighted as measures aimed at making services for overseas Indians increasingly technology-enabled and convenient, the press release added.

The community leaders appreciated Secretary Ranganathan’s initiative to engage directly and extensively with the diaspora and expressed hope that sustained dialogue between the Ministry of External Affairs and Indian community organisations across the United States would help address the practical concerns of overseas Indians and further strengthen the enduring bond between India and its global diaspora. (ANI)

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