Manmohan's Singh's address at Pravasi Bharatiya Divas

New Delhi, Jan 8 - Following is Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's speech at the sixth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, where he announced some new initiatives to tap the vast talent pool of the Indian diaspora.

'Let me begin by wishing all of you a very happy new year. Even though Delhi is cold right now, I assure our Pravasi Bharatiyas that a warm welcome awaits you in this land of our ancestors.

The Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas is a special day for all of us. Each of you represents the idea of India in different parts of the world. Like I had said last year, we are one family and the whole world is our home. The invisible thread that binds us together and bonds us with Mother India is 'Indian-ness'.

Each year we have the honour and privilege of having an eminent Pravasi as our Chief Guest. This year we have the distinguished Dr. Navin Ramagoolam, the Honourable Prime Minister of Mauritius as the Chief Guest. The people of India and Mauritius have deep emotional links. Mauritius is a special friend of India and Dr. Ramagoolam a personal friend. It is indeed my pleasure to extend a very warm welcome to him.

As we begin the year 2008, we look back at the year gone by with some satisfaction. It has been a good year for the Indian economy, for our working people and our entrepreneurs. The conditions are today favourable to achieve and sustain nine to ten percent growth rates - which is our objective over the 11th Plan period. The growth process now underway will transform our economy to emerge as a major powerhouse of the globalised world.

At the heart of the development effort is the imperative to transform the quality of life of all our people and give them access to health, education and economic opportunity. This is the essence of the thinking that defines the 11th Five Year Plan. I have dubbed it India's 'Education Plan'.

In focusing on education, as an instrument of empowerment, we are inspired by the example of the Indian diaspora. After all, what other capital did most of your forefathers have when they left the shores of India? It is by investing in your capabilities that you have empowered yourselves. This is how I wish to see India empower itself.

We in India take pride in the achievements of the people of Indian origin in diverse fields of human endeavour in different parts of the world. I am particularly happy at the strides made by our women. Indra Nooyi, Sunita Williams, Kalpana Chawla and Jhumpa Lahiri are role models for our society seeking to give women a rightful place.

The ambitious growth rate that we seek to achieve will require determined efforts to raise our savings and investment rates. The bulk of resources for India's development must come from home. However, it is our sincere desire to create a framework which will provide profitable opportunities for overseas Indians to invest in India's development.

It is also our sincere desire to benefit from the vast reservoir of technological, managerial and entrepreneurial skills represented by overseas Indian communities. We seek to encourage in every possible way our links and relations with overseas communities of Indian origin.

It is therefore appropriate that the theme of this year's Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is 'Engaging the Diaspora: The way forward'. I welcome all of you to be active partners in this exciting journey of India's progress and prosperity.

Ladies and Gentlemen, India is a knowledge based economy and is fast emerging as an education hub. A key initiative on education that I had announced last year was a proposal to establish a PIO University in India for the benefit of children of overseas Indians from across the world.

(c) Indo-Asian News Service

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