New UK immigration norms to hit Indians

LONDON: Indians -- comprising the bulk of non-European Union skilled immigrants to Britain -- could be the worst-affected after the British coalition government on Monday confirmed a stringent interim limit of 24,100 on work permits to be issued between July 19 and March 31 next year.

Home secretary Theresa May said: "The government believes that Britain can benefit from migration but not uncontrolled migration. I recognize the importance of attracting the brightest and the best to ensure strong economic growth, but unlimited migration places unacceptable pressure on public services."

The new permanent limit on the number of non-EU workers entering the United Kingdom will come into effect from April 2011. It will be announced after 12-week consultations within the government and with businesses and other interested groups. "While we consult on our tough new limit, it's important we have an interim measure to avoid a rush of applications for migrants and ensure that the number of work visas issued stays below 2009 levels," May said.

Amit Kapadia, director of Highly Skilled Migrant Programme, said, "Any such cap will hit Indian professionals because most non-EU migrants to the UK come from India."

Net migration will be reduced to the levels of 1990s, to tens of thousands rather than hundreds of thousands.
The results of the consultation on the permanent limit is expected to make fundamental changes in the way workers from outside the European Union will be chosen.

Reports suggest that high-income group professionals may be excluded from the immigration curbs, even though there is no such indication in the official announcement.

The Conservative Party's demand for an immigration cap gained popularity during the election campaign. Economists, however, have warned that restrictions will hit economic growth.

Gujarat next gateway point of India: Minister

Ahmedabad, June 24 (IANS) Gujarat is going to be the next gateway point for business, leisure and medical tourism in the country, state Tourism Minister Jaynarayan Vyas said here Thursday.

“We have the best infrastructure. We have good roads, peaceful and tranquil atmosphere, nice people, everything… We are on the move. We shall go full steam and full throttle as far as tourism in the state is concerned,” Vyas said.

“Gujarat would be the gateway of India for leisure, medical and business tourism,” he added.

Vyas was here as the chief guest of the Gujarat Tourism Conclave 2010.

The conclave deliberated on key focus areas such as capitalizing on tourism opportunities, air connectivity, health and wellness tourism to lay down a tourism road-map for the state.

Vyas also urged the national and state tour operators to consider Ahmedabad as the “gateway point” to travel to the rest of the country.

“We are dreaming of an airport which will be by far the largest airport near Ahmedabad despite being the only state to have the highest number of domestic airports (12) and an international one too,” he added.

A FICCI-Yes Bank Study on “Furthering the Growth of Gujarat Tourism; With Special Emphasis on Health & Wellness Tourism” was also released by the minister during the conclave.

GUJARAT TOURISM CONCLAVE TO BE HELD ON THURSDAY

Our Bureau

Ahmedabad

In order to emerge as a leading player in the fast growing market medical tourism, Gujarat will add substantial infrastructure for attracting foreign tourist. It is betting on NON RESIDENT GUJARATIs (NRGs), corporate as growing rural income to consolidate its position. The state is also in the process of preparing a tourism policy and as a part of it, “Gujarat Tourism Conclave” will be organised in Ahmedabad on June 24^th, during which all the stakeholders in medical tourism will converge to deliberate on the ways to make Gujarat a global leader. Efforts are also on to make Gujarat a “Gateway to India” in the tourism sector, banking on its road and rail links with tourist place in the North as well as South India and making the sector the engine of growth b 2025.

Addressing media persons in Ahmedabad, tourism minister Jaynarayan Vyas, who also holds the health and family welfare portfolio, said Gujarat`s leading place in the pharma industry as well as established infrastructure will provide a strong foundation for growth in medical tourism in the state. “Gujarat tops in body donation, eye donation, knee joint replacement operations, kidney transplant and piles operation in the country. Moreover, it has highest per capita blood donation in the country. Gujarat is a unique state, where its hospitals, PHCs, drug laboratories, medical colleges and blood banks are accredited by National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare (NABH) as well as National Board of Accreditation for Laboratories (NABL).”

The Gujarat Government is expanding its medical facilities in a big way. The Government will invest Rs.1500 crore in setting up a state of art building in the civil hospitals campus, as a part of which 10,000new beds would be put in place in the next three years. Arrangements will also cathlabs at U N Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research. “From 1960 to 2008, the state had mere 500 seats in medical science but we have added seats each during 2009 and 2010. The coming years will see even larger addition. We have also increased the PG and super speciality seats in our colleges.

The government will act as a facilitator and will encourage private players to come up with infrastructure for medical tourism. Efforts are on to promote hill station of Saputara and pilgrimage site of Ambaji as ayurvedic treatment and rejuvenation hubs.”

However, insufficient facility of medical and health insurance for foreign tourist in the hospitals of the state is acting as a deterrent for Gujarat to emerge as a favourable destination, said Tushar Pandey, executive VP and country head (strategic Initiative and Relationship Management) of yes Bank. Acknowledging the drawbacks, the minister assured the audience that efforts are already on this front.

The Government is looking at tourism as the growth engine of the state as well as leading employers in the next 15 years. “By 2025 tourism sector would overshadow industries, agriculture and services sector in terms of growth,” said Jaynarayan.

Golden Moments NRI Gujaratis

NRI Gujaratis taking part in the State`s Golden Anniversary celebration at "Swaminarayan Temple " at New Jersey, USA, on Saturday.
Gujarat`s Golden Jubilee that kicked off on 1st May, 2010 will is being celebrated over the year.

NRG Centre at VCCI

NRG Centre at VCCI welcomes the clearance of a proposal by the group of ministers to let NRIs have the power to exercise their Right to Vote. The Government of Gujarats NRG Centre at VCCI now hopes that the bill will meet with safe passage in the parliament.

Congratulations.

NRG Centre at VCCI welcomes the clearance of a proposal by the group of ministers to let NRIs have the power to exercise their Right to Vote. The Government of Gujarats NRG Centre at VCCI now hopes that the bill will meet with safe passage in the parliament.

Congratulations.

NRG Centre at VCCI

NRG Centre at VCCI welcomes the decision by the Department of posts as it launches Cash Remittance Service in Gujarat. NRG Centre believes that thus services will help large number of NRG`s ( NRI`s) to remit cash to their kin even in the remotest part of the state and vice versa where parents send money to their kids.

NRG Centre at VCCI is committed to take up all issues of relevance for the NRG`s.

Congratulations.