Industry v/s polity

Not sure what’s happening in India as on one side there is a lot of buzz regarding India story around the world and on the other hand PIOs and FIIs wanting to invest in India are facing hurdles in many forms especially from ministry of environment headed by Jairam Ramesh. Vedanta group’s plant in Orissa for bauxite mining in Niyamgiri has been stalled citing environmental reasons. Ditto with Lakshmi Mittal’s steel plant and POSCO, a South Korean steel giant’s plant in Orissa which is on hold for some years now. If this trend continues there won’t be too many people coming to India for investment. I as an NRI understand that environment needs to be taken care of. When you already have the sanctions from previous administration and then you change the course mid-way, lot of messy business happens. As there are thousands of million dollars already invested in the project it would be impossible to withdraw. Government needs to take immediate action to make sure that investors’ confidence in India remains intact and we continue to cherish ‘The Great India Story.’
-Pradeep Dave, Pennsylvania

INDIA A RIGHTFUL CANDIDATE FOR PERMANENT UNSC SEAT

It’s wonderful to know that India will be a nonpermanent member of UNSC for next two years but what is more important is that India needs a permanent place in the UNSC. There are lot of distracters and nay sayers who suggest that India is still not ready for this role and some feel that India should sign a CTBT before it can move forward. China will be the strongest opponent in such a bid for India.

But looking at India’s growing influence on the world stage and economic development, it is a strong candidate. Let’s face the fact that nobody likes China including other four permanent UNSC members, so India should keep pushing this agenda to maintain geo-political balance in the region. I know even within India there are people arguing that let’s work on poverty, healthcare, infrastructure and not waste energy on UNSC, but this could be done simultaneously as China did. It’s just that we need the guts and resolute agenda to pursue this.
-Veena Malhotra, California

BOBBY JINDAL BEST US GOVERNOR

It was an honor for first Republican Indian American Governor Bobby Jindal to be voted most popular serving governor in the US in an opinion poll. Jindal received an approval rating of 58 per cent, while 34 per cent disapproved. The survey was conducted by Public Policy Polling. He was closely followed by Jodi Rell of Connecticut, who got an approval rating of 55 per cent. Tackling Hurricane Katrina aftermath and now that of BP oil spill have been exacting situations and Jindal’s efficient leadership qualities came to fore during these trying times. In 2007, at 36, Jindal became the first elected non-white Governor of Louisiana. We as an immigrant community can take pride in the fact that he lived up to the faith imposed by Americans in a non-white paving the way for more Indian Americans to aim for high seats of power.
-Raj Johar, Kansas

SHAME, SHAME, 2G SCAM!

It is shameful to witness recent nexus between lobbyist, hi-fi journalists and politicians in 2G spectrum scam which cost Indian national coffers about Rs 1.76 Trillion and how 2G spectrum was allotted to telecom companies without proper tendering process, bid rigging and subsequent mud slinging by one former telecom entrepreneur and now BJP upper house MP Rajiv Chandrashekhar against Ratan Tata, chairman of Tata Sons.

It’s painful to see nobody is clean, not even the so called clean business groups such as Tatas. Now investing agencies are taking up the issue but the damage has already been done. Rs 1.76 Trillion is too big an amount and could have been used in so many public welfare and development projects.

The need is now for PM Manmohan singh to intervene and recollect the lost money from the telecom companies, minister involved and officials involved in this whole scam.
-Vijay Kumar, Connecticut

DELAY OVER VISA ISSUANCE

A large number of Indian Americans are very unhappy with the new rules imposed by Govt. of India for surrendering the old Indian passport and delays in issuance of visa to visit India. Naturalized citizens of Indian origin living in countries such as Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, etc. are also facing similar problems with Indian missions in their respective countries. It all started in May when the Indian Embassy and consulates started charging $175 fee for surrendering the old Indian passport and additional fees of $200 for any consular service used by naturalized citizens. An online campaign by GOPIO to the Prime Minister of India was signed by over 32,000 people in 10 days and Govt. of India relented and reduced the surrender fee to $20 for those who had become naturalized citizens before June 1, 2010. However, there are several other issues which need to be sorted by Govt. of India.

The decision on surrendering Indian passports by naturalized citizens was taken after it was found that some people who became citizens of other countries had misused their old passports to go to India and return back showing their foreign passports. These things would have happened pre-9/11. However, now it is difficult since one cannot get away using two passports.

In June this year, the secretary of the Ministry Overseas Indian Affairs Dr. Deedar Singh had sent a notification to many NRI/PIO organizations and prominent NRIs stating that those who acquired citizenship of another country before Jan. 2005 need not obtain the surrender certificate. This decision was taken jointly by MOIA, Ministry of External Affairs and Home Ministry. However, the Home Ministry officials went back on this decision and this was never implemented.

WHY ARE THE NRIS UNHAPPY AND ANGRY?

The Indian missions particularly in USA, Canada, UK, Australia and a few other countries cannot cope up with the additional work. There are over one million people in the USA alone who are naturalized citizens originally from India.

Those who have forsaken Indian citizenship decades ago face bigger problems. Many of them do not have their old passports now. The consulates have guidelines on affidavits about the loss of passports, buy it is full of hassles. The question arises, what is the purpose of surrender certificates, especially when the passports expired decades ago?
-Thomas Abraham, Ph.D. Founder President and Chairman Emeritus, GOPIO, Stamford, CT