Punjab’s ‘Connect With Your Roots’ program helps NRIs to strengthen the bond with their soil

Chandigarh, April 18: The Punjab government reached out to the non-resident Punjabi youth settled in various foreign countries through its newly conceived ‘Connect with your roots’ programme. Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh launched this program last year. Chief Minister said, “met a delegation of Punjabi origin youth from the UK as a part of the ‘Connect With Your Roots’ program and exhorted them to become Punjab’s cultural ambassadors in the UK. Wherever you might reside, Punjab will always be your home and we'll always welcome you with open arms.”

The Scheme is open to Young Boys and Girls of NRIs Parents living abroad, a platform to go back to their roots and connect with their roots and discover their identities.
Foreign-born youth who are into second, third and fourth generations of Punjabis and have never travelled to Punjab are the focus of the programme. The government plans to bring them to Punjab and showcase its culture, heritage, education system and the way of living of the people here.

Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh launched the programme at the India House – Indian high commission in London, on September 13, 2017.

Objectives of this program are –

This scheme is a part of Friends of Punjab Garima Gram Yojana scheme and financed from this scheme only. It is likely Expenditure for a group of 15 NRIs on a ten days tour would be Rs 3.00 to 4.00 lac. In all 6 to 8 groups would visit the state of Punjab in a year.

The scheme is open to young boys and girls in the 16-26 years of age group as there is a lot of curiosity among Indian-Origin youngsters settled in other countries to know about their ancestral home. The visit would also give these youngsters a chance to learn and speak their native language. It would also enable them to learn about their family background and the culture to which they belong and also to build an emotional bonding with the Country of their roots.