Video chat facility for NRIs a non-starter

Jalandhar, October 20
In spite of having immense utility for Punjabi NRIs living in different parts of the world, the much-publicised video conferencing facility introduced by the NRI affairs wing of the Punjab Police has turned out to be a non-starter with only two NRIs availing the facility since its launch about a month ago, mainly owing to the lack of awareness.
Meanwhile, NRIs facing problems or those having suggestions for the betterment of NRIs would now be able to hold video conferencing with Gurpreet Deo, Chief Inspector General, NRI affairs wing, on all working days. Earlier, the video calling facility was available just for an hour a week, but from now on, the NRIs would be able to participate in video chat on the basis of a prior appointment with the NRI wing.
“From now on, they (NRIs) can seek a prior appointment for seeking redressal of their grievances either by way of calling at our office or via email at nri.pbpolice@gmail.com or at the Punjab Police website. During the past one month, we have observed that the one-hour long video chat from 4 pm to 5 pm on Mondays was not convenient for people residing in some countries. So we have come out with an alternative in the shape of a prior appointment,” said Deo.
The NRIs could contact Deo directly at landline phone no. 0172-2749353 or its helpline no. 0172-2748100 for fixing an appointment for video chat. “The only requirement for video chat on all working days at nri.pbpolice@gmail.com is that the caller should be having a google mail account and he or she should be having a prior appointment fixed with us,” said Deo. Interestingly, the NRIs have evinced little interest in availing the facility containing aimed at extending help to them. Only two NRIs, including a woman from San Jose, US, came forward to participate.

Lanka to release 400 ex-LTTE militants on eve of Diwali

Colombo: Sri Lanka will release a big batch of nearly 400 ex-LTTE militants on the eve of Diwali next week as part of moves to rehabilitate the former combatants.

"We will be releasing them to mark the Diwali festival", Minister of Rehabilitation and Prison Reform Chandrasiri Gajadeera said on Saturday. "We have by now released most of the 11,000 former LTTE members after rehabilitation," Gajadeera stressed.

Lankan officials said the process of rehabilitation had been quicker than expected with the programme coming to a conclusion before the originally set December 31 deadline.

The LTTE members, who had surrendered to the government troops at the end of the 30-year conflict in May, 2009, were put through rehabilitation by providing them vocational training, counselling and language skills. All of them recruited by the LTTE during the height of the conflict had not come in contact with the majority Sinhala population, officials said.

The government provides loans for self employment to these rehabilitated youth to restart their lives, they added.

Tri-Valley case: US approves transfer of 435 Indian students

Washington: US authorities have "examined individually" cases of over 1,000 Indian students who had enrolled at California-based "sham" Tri-Valley University, approving transfer of 435 of them to other institutions.

Officials of Department of Homeland Security, Department of State, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and US Citizenship and Immigration Services met representatives of Indian embassy here on Friday and discussed several issues relating to Indian students at the Tri-Valley University, which was raided and shut down by authorities earlier this year on charges of a massive immigration fraud.

The US officials informed that out of more than 1000 students, who were being considered for transfer to other universities, 435 transfers were approved, 145 were denied and about an equal number were issued Notices of Intention to Deny, the Indian embassy said in a statement. The remaining transfer cases are still under examination.