BENGALURU: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that he wants to turn 'brain drain' into 'brain gain'.
Speaking on the second day of the 14th edition of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2017, touted as the largest ever gathering of the Indian diaspora, Mr Modi said, “During a discussion on brain drain before I became the chief minister of Gujarat, I used to wonder if all the good brains in the country emigrate, then is the country left with only fools? But today I can say with confidence that because of the steps taken by our government, we are changing brain drain into brain gain."
India is fast moving on the path of development, he said and added, “One definition of FDI is Foreign Direct Investment, while the other is 'First Develop India'.”
He said non-resident Indians and Persons of Indian Origin have made outstanding contributions in their respective fields. “Wherever the Indian diaspora has gone, they have represented the best of Indian culture, values and ethos. They are loved for their hard work, discipline and peace-loving nature. Though the objectives and paths of the Indian diaspora may vary, they are all united by the feeling of 'Bharatiyata' or 'Indianness',” he said.
He offered Pravasi Kaushal Vikas Yojana, saying, “It is aimed at Indians who want to seek overseas employment. They will be given soft skill training and are made aware of the social mores of the countries they are heading to, so that they can go abroad with confidence. Grievances of migrant workers are addressed through 24x7 helplines, Indian embassies, open house meeting with Indian embassies and also social media platforms,” he said.
Some parties worship black money: Modi
Addressing overseas Indians, PM Modi said on Sunday that his government has taken a massive step (demonetisation) to put an end to black money and corruption. Black money and corruption had made the politics of the country hollow and were eating into the system, he said. Targeting political parties that are protesting against demonetisation, Mr Modi said, "It is unfortunate that there some political entities that worship black money. They are carrying out a misinformation campaign that the efforts of our government against black money are 'anti-people." He lauded the overseas Indian community for their dedication in supporting the country in its fight against black money.
