Delhi HC receives plea to set up national level commission for welfare of NRIs

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New Delhi: A PIL in the Delhi High Court has sought directions to the Centre to set up a national level commission for the welfare of NRIs.

The plea has been moved by Non Resident Indian (NRI) Anisur Rehman, working in the Sultanate of Oman since 2007, seeking a commission for NRIs on the lines of the proposed migrant labour commission.

The petition, filed through advocate Jose Abraham, has said, "A national level commission will help in streamlining all the NRI related welfare schemes on one platform."

"A NRI commission at the Centre will help in safeguarding the interest of expatriates in a much more efficacious and effective manner," the plea said.

The plea has claimed that the prevalent practice of submitting oral/written representations to consulates does not lead to speedy redressal of grievances.

"A robust national NRI" commission with judicial powers is necessary to safeguard welfare of NRIs, it has said.

"A commission along with a tribunal which redresses the grievances of the aggrieved expatriates is quintessential, especially in present times when innumerable expatriates will face job loss on arbitrary grounds and are facing discrimination of the kind never faced before," the petition submitted.

It has also said that so far only three states - Punjab, Kerala and Goa - have constituted an NRI Commission.