Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre (OIFC)
The overseas Indians today constitutes a significant economic ,social and cultural force in the world . Overseas Indians are estimated at over twenty five million and are spread across 130 countries.
India has recognized the potential of Overseas Indians and has initiated a dialogue with the Pravasi Bharatiya and has taken up numerous programmes for them such as Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, Know India Programme, Samman Award etc.
Creation of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs was also one of the steps taken by the UPA Government in promoting the Indian Diaspora. The Ministry under the aegis of the Hon'ble Minister, Mr. Vayalar Ravi has grown tremendously and in span of just three years has been able to create a strong set up benefiting lakhs of Indian's Living at distant corners of the world.
One of the focus areas of the Ministry over the last few years has been the promotion of investments by Overseas Indians including innovative investment and policy initiative. While India is already the highest recipient of remittances from overseas Indians ( $23bn - 2005) , the investment by overseas Indians has been far short of its potential given the profile of he Overseas Indians.
In achieving the desired level of investment , the effort of the Ministry is to establish an institutional framework that can facilitate this process. This is possible with a trusted and neutral body with state of the art facilities to provide efficiently and on a real time basis.
In this background , the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) has established a Centre as a not - for - profit trust , in partnership with the Confederation of India Industry (CII) under the title Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre (OIFC).
The "Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre" will provide a host of investment and business advisory services to potential overseas investors . It will serve as a "one stop shop " for the Indian Diaspora. The trust will function as a non - profit body with the objective of promoting Overseas Indian Investment in India and Facilitating Business - to - Business partnerships between Indian Business and Overseas Indians.
Objectives of Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre:
Promote Overseas Indian investment into India and facilitate business partnership, by giving authentic and real time information.
Establish and maintain a Diaspora Knowledge Network by creating a database of Overseas Indians, who would act as Knowledge Diaspora and whose knowledge resources could be utilized by using ICT platform.
Function as a clearinghouse for all investment related information. This would be done by processing information on a real time basis through ICT platform.
Assist states in India to project investment opportunities to overseas Indians in the infrastructure and social sectors . The objectives of the OIFC will be to bring the Indian States, Indian Business and potential Overseas Investors on the same platform and to facilitate the investors to identify the investment opportunities.
Provide a host of advisory services to PIO and NRIs. These could include matters such as consular questions, stay in India, investment and financial issues, etc.
For further information visit the website www.oifc.in
