Bengaluru: Overseas Kannadigas have urged the Karnataka govt to establish a dedicated secretariat to address issues concerning non-resident Indians (NRIs) from the state.Representatives of 78 organisations of Kannadiga diaspora Saturday submitted a memorandum to chief minister DK Shivakumar, seeking the creation of a separate department and the appointment of a minister to oversee NRI affairs.Leading the delegation, businessman Ronald Colaco said a dedicated secretariat would strengthen engagement with the global Kannadiga diaspora, facilitate investments in Karnataka, provide an effective grievance redressal mechanism and address various concerns faced by Kannadigas living abroad.Addressing a press conference, Colaco said the chief minister had responded positively to the demands raised by non-resident Kannadigas. He said around 18 lakh overseas Kannadigas live across the world and, including second-generation families, the diaspora population is estimated at nearly 25 lakh.According to Colaco, overseas Kannadigas contribute around 8% of India;s total inward remittances, amounting to an estimated $10–11 billion annually through family remittances, charitable contributions and property purchases. He said that in the last decade, NRIs from Karnataka have invested Rs 8000 crore in various parts of the state, including Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Mysuru and Hubballi.“Several states, including Kerala, Punjab and Tamil Nadu, have established dedicated departments to handle NRI affairs from respective states. Such institutional mechanisms have helped attract investments from the diaspora and provide focused support to overseas residents. At present, NRIs have to approach multiple govt departments for different issues, which is often cumbersome and time-consuming. A dedicated department would streamline processes, reduce bureaucratic hurdles and improve the ease of doing business for overseas Kannadigas looking to invest in Karnataka,” he said.Colaco and other businessmen urged the govt to appoint MLC Arathi Krishna as the minister of the dedicated department when created.Representatives said the economic impact of the West Asia conflict has prompted many NRIs to explore investment opportunities in India.Mohammed Saleem, another businessman, said, “The conflict in West Asia has affected several sectors. As a result, many NRIs are looking to diversify their investments in India as well as in countries such as Singapore and Malaysia. For overseas Kannadigas, Karnataka remains the most preferred destination because of our roots. However, there is a need for a more conducive ecosystem and a mechanism that can make investment processes smoother and hassle-free.”Businessman Hidayath Addoor said, “The establishment of a dedicated NRI secretariat headed by a minister would not only help attract investments from overseas Kannadigas but also facilitate investment inflows from the countries where they reside. Apart from this, the dedicated department would help in addressing the grievances of overseas Kannadigas when they are in distress.”(By Ananya Bhat)
