Punjab to have 5 more NRI-designated courts; 2,500 cases pending

Rajmeet Singh

Chandigarh, May 24

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has mooted a proposal to increase the number of fast-track NRI courts in the state. At present, the only NRI-designated court is in Jalandhar.

Now, the department aims to set up five more such courts — one each in Bathinda, Nawanshahr, Patiala, Hoshiarpur and Moga.

The Department of Home Affairs and Justice has been asked to start the NRI courts soon after discussing the matter with the administrative committee of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, NRI Affairs Minister, said nearly 2,500 cases related to the NRIs were pending.

“Under the new NRI policy that is in works, efforts are being made to help NRIs in every possible manner. The mechanism for time-bound redressal of complaints with the help of an NRI commission is being worked out. The government is at the final stage of formulating a feedback-based NRI policy,” said Dhaliwal.

The department is compiling the data of NRI-related revenue cases with Commissioners, DCs, ADCs and SDMs to review their progress and monitor the matters on a monthly basis.

A senior officer will be appointed in each district as a nodal officer to deal with the grievances of the NRIs. Even in Delhi, a nodal officer will be nominated for such purpose.

“An economic wing will be operational in the NRI Affairs Department. It will assist visiting NRIs in their works related to banks, remittances, tax, property registration (reverse mortgages, succession issues, issues related to the Punjab Urban Rent Control Act, Punjab Security of Land Tenures Act and Pepsu Agricultural Amendment Act, 2013) and other financial matters,” added Dhaliwal.