PM Narendra Modi to inaugurate 13th edition of ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas’ today

Mangalore Today News Network

Ahmedabad, Jan 08, 2015: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 13th edition of ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas’ in Gandhinagar on Thursday.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made for PM’s visit to his homestate.

In 2003 former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had started the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas.

A trade show has also been organised along with the exhibition by the Gujarat Government. While PBD will end on January 9, the trade show would remain open till January 13, coinciding with the Vibrant Gujarat Summit (Jan 11-13).

Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday inaugurated the Youth PBD, being attended by hundreds of diaspora youth from across the world.

Speaking at the inauguration of the 2015 Youth PBD, Sushma Swaraj urged the diaspora youth to contribute to the country’s development.

"We want you, the Pravasis, to contribute to the development of India. We want you to participate in the vision that Prime Minister Modi has for India’s future," she said and enumerated the programmes launched by the government, including Make in India, Smart Cities, Swachch Bharat, and Skill India.

"Atalji started PBD in 2003 as Prime Minister, while Modiji started Vibrant Summit as Chief Minister of Gujarat. Today, after so many years, both these events are taking place almost simultaneously at one place, because we are also celebrating the 100th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s return to India. There can’t be any place better than Gujarat to celebrate it," said Swaraj.

She took a dig at past UPA Governments for not giving permission to hold PBD in Gujarat and credited Prime Minister Modi for brining the event to the State.

Around 4,000 delegates have arrived for the PBD, an annual gathering of Indian diaspora aimed at enhancing networking and reinforcing commercial linkages.

There are 25 million people of Indian origin residing outside India.

The event is being held in Gandhinagar Jan 7-9 to mark the centenary of the return to the country of India’s "sarva sreshtha pravasi Bharatiya" or foremost Indian diaspora member, Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa.

 

Courtesy: Zeenews