PM keeps his promise, sets up global council

As promised during Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2008, prime minister Manmohan Singh announced the constitution of a Global Advisory Council on Thursday. The council will be chaired by Singh and include the external affairs minister, minister for overseas Indian affairs and senior government officials.

Prominent overseas Indians on the council include Jagdish Bhagwati, Karan F Bilmoria, Swadesh Chatterjee, Ela Gandhi, Rajat Gupta, Renu Khator, Khalid Hameed, Kishore Mahbubani, LN Mittal, PNC Menon, Indra K Nooyi, Bhikhu Chotalal Parekh, CK Prahalad, Tan Sri Dato, Ajit Singh, Amartya K Sen, Vikram Pandit, Sam Pitroda, Shashi Tharoor, Srinivasa SR Varadhan and Yusuf Ali.

The council will advise the government on how to facilitate a dynamic two-way engagement between stakeholders in India and overseas Indians to promote business-to-business partnerships.

OCIs can practice
The Centre has decided to allow Overseas Citizens of India card holders with professional qualifications, like doctors, dentists, pharmacists, engineers, architects and architects, to practice in India.  knowledge system

Delhi announced a Global Indian Knowledge Network, to be a virtual think tank and share the diaspora’s development ideas and knowledge.

Smart cards
Delhi announced an e-governance project on immigration for issuance of smart cards to transform the immigration process with the data accessible both to government of India and our missions abroad.