The pink city of Jaipur decked up to welcome over 1,300 delegates as non-resident Indians (NRI) from 54 countries participating in the 10th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas [PBD] with the old glory of the walled city restored and heritage buildings getting a facelift.
Though the three-day convention began Friday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will inaugurate it formally on Saturday while Trinidad and Tobago PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar will be the chief guest.
The chief ministers of Gujarat, Jharkhand, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Goa will also participate in the PBD convention and finance minister Pranab Mukherjee will also address the gathering of NRIs. Eleven Union ministers confirmed their presence for the occasion. President Pratibha Patil will deliver the valedictory address on January 9.
Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot is himself monitoring the preparedness and administration. He visited the walled city and instructed the authorities to leave no stone unturned to make the convention a success.
Security has been beefed up in the city while the Jaipur police is geared up for security. According to the authorities, more than 1,200 policemen will be deployed for the convention and senior police officers have been asked to manage traffic and peace during the convention.
According to the organisers, Mr Shashi Tharoor and CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury have also consented to participate.
Gujarat CM Narendra Modi is arriving on January while Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy will arrive January 8. It will be an event to connect NRIs and PIOs to their roots.
Though the state government said it was not eyeing PBD as an occasion to attract investment, sources in the state government said NRIs and PIOs will take an interest in investment.