The government has decided to allow Overseas Citizen of India card holders who are qualified professionals to practise their profession in India, said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
In his inaugural address at the 7th edition of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, organised by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, Tamil Nadu government and Confederation of Indian Industries, the prime minister said that professionals, including doctors, dentists, pharmactists, engineers, architects and chartered accountants, would have the benefit of practising their professions in India.
Further details to operationalise this benefit were being worked out, Singh added.He commented, India expect to witness a growth of about 7 per cent this year, which will be among the highest in the world. Much of India's growth is internally driven and the country would maintain a strong pace of growth in the coming years.
Despite the global economic slowdown, the fundamentals of the country's economy would continue to remain strong.
Commenting about the recent terror attack in Mumbai, he said, 'the attacks were a grim reminder of the grave threat posed by extremism and terrorism to our pluralistic and liberal traditions.
There are many who would not like to see India succeed. But we have shown, over and over again, that we will not allow the forces of terrorism and extremism to destabilise us".
"The government has taken several measures to strengthen national security and we will continue to work with the international community to ensure that there are no safe havens and launching pads for terrorists."
In his welcome address Vayalar Ravi, minister of overseas Indian Affairs, said that 'members of Parliament of people of Indian origin, for instance, can constitute a potent force in articulating our common aspirations to the world.'
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