3,225 travel agents booked in past 3 years, says NRI Affairs Minister

NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Saturday said the state government was contemplating to set up agro-based industrial units to increase employment opportunities for youngsters.

“Had this kind of industry already been set up by the previous governments, our youth would not have been languishing in Panama. It is our basic duty to assist the deported youth. We have not made any commitment to offer them government jobs. We will bring big industrial groups to Punjab where these youngsters can be absorbed as per their skills,” he told the media.

Speaking on a sting operation that highlighted some illegal agents still taking money to send youth via donkey routes to the US, the minister said he was yet to watch the video and would ask senior police officers to act.

“As many as 3,225 travel agents have been booked in the past three years. The police are on the toes,” said Dhaliwal.

Professor Ronki Ram of Panjab University said the trend dated back to as early as 1834. However, the minister pointed out that Punjabis emigrated illegally during the dark days of terrorism. “According to my assessment, of the total Punjabis who had moved abroad till 2000, only 30 per cent had gone illegally. The desperation in Punjabis to go abroad grew to such a level that they faked marriage,” said the minister as the gathering of NRIs showed no surprise.

Dhaliwal said, “There are luxurious houses all across villages in the state but they are unoccupied. People have earned crores out of this business. Our schools could not teach English. Thus, thousands of IELTS centres popped up. The Kerala Government, in contrast, imparts IELTS coaching to the students

in schools.”

The minister added, “Four types of government officials are causing a lot of harassment to Punjabi diaspora. Thus, they do not intend to return. These include tehsildars, patwaris, SHOs and their clerks in the police stations.” As he said this, the NRIs present at the event cheered for him.

Sharing his personal experience, the minister said, “I, too, have spent 13 years in the US. I have worked in restaurants and driven taxis. Two of my kids are still there but I gave up my US citizenship to be here. Ensure your children study well and emigrate in a legal manner.”