- Origin of Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas
- Essay Fodder for Indian Diaspora/NRI topics
- Diaspora issues
- Appendix1: PBD-Coins and Stamps
- Appendix2: Who got PBD-2015 award and why?
- Mock Questions
Origin of Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas
- 1915, 9th January: Gandhi returned from S.Africa to India
- From 2003 onwards, Pravasi Bharatiya divas (PBD) is celebrated annually on this date.
- Ministry of Overseas Indian affairs (MOIA) organizes PBD.
- PBD marks the contribution of Overseas Indians in India’s Development. It also provides an interaction platform for them to raise issues with Indian Government.
13th PBD 2015 | 12th PBD 2014 | |
---|---|---|
Location |
|
Delhi |
Theme |
|
Engaging diaspora: connecting across generations |
Chief guest |
|
Y B Datuk seri PalanivelMalaysia’s environment minister. |
Essay Fodder for Indian Diaspora/NRI topics
Based on the speeches of President, PM, Ministers and eminent persons during PBD-2015
- In Ancient Greek, “Diaspora” means “Scattering or sowing of seeds”.
- ~2.5 crore NRIs/PIOs are spread across 200 countries around the world.
- They send over 70 billion$ as remittances to home- highest among all countries (2014, World Bank data).
- NRIs have spread Indian culture, cuisine and values abroad, send truckload of remittances back to India.
- By reaching out to NRIs, we can make global impact- by leveraging their knowledge, expertise or skills.
- Earlier they went abroad in search of opportunity, knowledge and exposure, but now they an get the same even in India.
- Earlier they had to wait for months to know what’s happening back home, but now thanks to ICT & Media, they can monitor India’s social, economic and political events on daily basis.
- Ganga provides economic opportunities to 40% of India’s population. We invite NRIs to Namami Gange project to clean this river.
- Even if a single Indian is present in a foreign country – India is alive through him.
- Mauritius celebrates Gandhi’s birthday (2nd October) is more vigour than India.
- In this era of globalization, the challenge is to find a healthy balance between sense of identity, home and community- and doing the necessary things to survive within globalization system (Thomas Friedman).
Connect | With new generation, overcome the caste and class boundaries |
---|---|
Celebrate | India’s heritage. After all, we contributed
|
Contribute | To swachh Bharat, Make in India, digital India, smart cities, Namami Gange and so on. |
Diaspora issues
#1: Merger of OCI, PIO
Detailed table given in M.Laxmikanth’s Polity book-chapter on citizenship page 6.5 onwards. Following, is just an overview:
OCI | PIO (Person of Indian Origin) |
---|---|
If you or your parents were Indian citizen once upon a time. | If your parents, grandparents or spouse were Indian citizen once upon a time. |
Lifelong visa-travel. | Card Valid only for 15 years. (Modi ordinance: this visa given for life-time.) |
No need to register at any office. Doesn’t matter how long you want to stay in India. | If staying beyond 180 days (6 months) in a single visit, you’ve to register Foreigners Regional Registration or Police station. (Modi ordinance: they don’t need to visit police, even if staying for long term.) |
#2: Benefits of OCI card
Can do | Can’t do |
---|---|
|
|
OCI cardholder gets all benefits given to an NRI in economic-financial-educational fields. | BUT he can’t buy agricultural land or plantation. |
OCI card can be used as an ‘id-proof’ for getting
|
Pakistani or Bangladeshi can’t get OCI card. |
#3: Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2014
Original Citizenship act was made in 1955, but had some lacunas. So, Home Ministry drafted this bill to fix it.
1955 Act | 2014 Bill |
---|---|
|
|
Defined the “overseas citizen of India” | Expanded that definition to include
|
|
Merged them. |
No such provision | Government can cancel the OCI-citizenship of the spouse of an OCI citizen IF
|
- 2014, December: Bill presented in Winter session of parliament, but could not be passed due to frequent disruptions.
- 2015, Jan: Modi got is implemented it through Presidential ordinance.
#4: Visa on Arrival & E-Visa
- Under Home ministry, this Scheme began in 2010, reformed in 2014.
- Visa on Arrival: Foreigner has to apply online (3 days before arriving to India)
- When he reaches India, pays $60 fees, goes through biometric identification and gets the (Tourist) Visa.
- Validity: 30 days, Cannot be renewed. He must leave after that.
- Electronic Travel authorization (e-Visa): announced in Budget 2014, foreigner applies online, gets visa in 5 days.
- During PBD-2015, Modi announced he has given these two facilities for 43 countries.
- Although, India is not the first country in world to run such scheme. Japan, Finland, Singapore et al already offer such facility.
Appendix1: PBD-Coins and Stamps
- 1915: Gandhi returns from S.Africa to India, after 21 years.
- 2015: marks 100 years of his return.
- Therefore, Modi released commemorative coins (Rs.10 and Rs.100) and Stamps (Rs.5 and Rs.25)
Appendix2: Who got PBD-2015 award and why?
15 persons received Pravasi Bharatiya Samman-2015.
Name of the person | country | contribution |
---|---|---|
Donald Ramaotar | Guyana | President of Guyana |
Dr. Rajaram Sanjaya | Mexico | Winner of ‘2014 world food prize’ – developed 480 wheat varieties |
Kanwaljitsingh Bakshi | New Zealand | MP of New Zealand parliament |
Duraikannu Karunakaran | Seychelles | Justice of supreme court of Seychelles |
Satya Nadella | USA | CEO, Microsoft. Hails from Andhra Pradesh, his father was an IAS. |
Name of the person | country | contribution |
---|---|---|
Mala Mehta | Australia | Indo-Australian bal bharatiya vidhyalaya (promotion of Hindi language) |
Essop Goolam Pahad | South Africa | politician |
Ashraf Palarkannumal | UAE | Social activist |
Mahendra nanji mehta | Yuganda | Businessman |
Prof. Nathuram Puri | Founder of Purico group | |
Dr. Nandini Tondon | USA | Health care and IT |
Dr. Kamlesh Lulla | USA | Chief scientist for earth observation at NASA |
Raj Loomba | UK | Philanthropist – member of House of Lords, UK |
Rajmal Parakh | Oman | |
Bharatkumar Shah | UAE |
Mock Questions
Q1. Find correct statement
- Pravasi bharatiya divas (PBD) is organized by Ministry of External affairs
- PBD is observed on 9th January because it is on this day Gandhi return to India in 1919.
- Both A and B
- Neither A nor B
Q2. What was the theme of Pravasi bharatiya divas 2015?
- 100 years of Gandhi’s departure to South Africa
- 100 years of Gandhi’s return from South Africa
- 100 years of Gandhi’s service to South Africa
- None of above
Q3. Find correct statement
- The chief guest of PBD-2015 was Donald Ramotar
- Donald Ramotar is the President of Guyana.
- Guyana is a landlocked country of South America
Answer choices
- Only 1 and 2
- Only 2 and 3
- Only 1 and 3
- None of them
Q4. Person holding an overseas citizenship of India (OCI) can
- Contest in Vidhan Sabha elections.
- Buy agricultural land
- Get admission in NRI-quota seat in an Indian university.
Answer choices
- Only 1 and 2
- Only 2 and 3
- Only 1 and 3
- None of them
Q5. What is the purpose of Citizenship (Amendment) Ordinance, 2015?
- Provide for electronic-visa facility
- Provide for visa on arrival facility.
- Permit Overseas Indians to contest in Local assembly elections.
- None of above.
Q6. Who among the following, is not a reciepient of Pravasi Bharatiya Samman 2015?
- Kanwaljitsingh Bakshi
- Duraikannu Karunakaran
- Satya Nadella
- Tulsi Gabbard
Q7. Find incorrect statement(s)
- PIO card entitles a person lifelong visa-free entry in India
- If an OCI-card holder stays in India beyond 6 months, he is required to get registered at local police station.
- Both A and B
- Neither A nor B
Mains General Studies Paper 2
Answer following in 150-200 words each
- Discuss the issues in Citizenship Act 1955 pertaining to Overseas Indians. How does Citizenship (Amendment) ordinance address them?
- Discuss the rationale behind merger of OCI and PIO cards, and critically examine its impact on Indian economy.
- Point out the difference between the Jewish Diaspora and the Indian Diaspora. (Mains-2004)
- What are the references made to the NRI in the Union Budget 2015? (Similar question from 2004 budget, asked in UPSC-2004.)
- Answer following in 50 words each: (UPSC-2008)
- Pravasi Bharatiya divas
- Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) Scheme
- Indian Diaspora and Bollywood.
For more articles on Diplomacy, international relations (IR) and Defense, visit Mrunal.org/Diplomacy.
sir, can u plzz provide me insurance study material for uiic ao intrvw… ??????????
Thank you Mrunal Sir. My all doubts were clear after reading this. Thank you once again
Nice article .
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PIO card holder is required to register with the local police if their stay in India on each visit exceeds 180 days, whereas an OCI is exempted from registration for any length of stay in India. So ans of 7 is d. For sure
Hi Mrunal… Kindly provide the answer list for the above questions. We are getting some mis-match in the answers :(
lot of confusion in question number 7… Provide answer key plz.
its an wonderful article sir.thanks for that.eagerly waiting for ur next article.
mrunal sir which book do you suggest for ” Economic & Social Development” , bcz i am preparing for state civil service….and it has vast array of topics and i am not getting matter from a single source …….plz help sir….
Sir, plz upload economy cls videos, by of it, I can improve weakness by it.
Guyana has also been added for visa on arrival, now the number for eta-tvoa countries stand at 44
dear sir,
please suggest suitable maths books for SSC CGL.
Theme of 2015 Pravasi Bharati Diwas is Apna Bharat Apna Gaurav
PBD Theme 2015- Apna Bharat , Apna Gaurav.
answer for 7 is D because as of now PIO and OCI has been merged.so all facilities of OCI will be available to PIO card holders.so no restriction on staying in india for PIO and OCI both.and also no need to report at police station after 6 month for both.
que no 7 ans is B
Thank you so much sir