CHANDIGARH (TIP): The Punjab government on April 5 said under the proposed industrial investment and the real-estate policy, 10 per cent quota will be reserved for NRIs. The industrial investment policy and the real-estate policy “for comprehensive development of the state” is expected to be launched later this month. Deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said, “The government has evolved a comprehensive plan to make NRIs equal partners in the industrial progress of the state and a 10 per cent quota of projects and plots is being reserved for Punjabi diaspora.” All new colonies of PUDA, GMADA and other urban development agencies will also have 10 pc quota in residential plots for NRIs. “All new colonies and other urban development agencies would also have 10 per cent quota in residential plots for NRIs,” he said. Accompanied by NRI affairs minister Bikram Singh Majithia, Sukhbir reviewed schemes promised to NRIs in the two day NRI sammelan held at Chandigarh and Jalandhar in January this year, an official spokesman said. Sukhbir said that he was satisfied that all departments of the Punjab Government have worked unitedly to fulfil most of the promises made to NRIs. However, he expressed concern over fraudulent marriages involving NRIs and said that they are being dealt with firm hand.

Sukhbir said that Punjab is the first state in the country that has made registration of marriages by NRIs mandatory and the Punjab Compulsory Registration of Marriages Act-2012 has been notified and district authorities have been instructed to ensure its total compliance.