TNI Bureau: The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) held the first core group meeting of its Pravasi Bharatiya Congress Odia Cell in Bhubaneswar, with PCC president Bhakta Charan Das calling for collective efforts to address the challenges facing Odisha and the country.

Organised in line with the directives of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), the meeting focused on issues concerning Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs), Non-Resident Odias (NROs) and people of Indian origin living abroad.

Addressing the gathering, Das highlighted the political, economic and social challenges confronting India in a rapidly changing global environment. He said overseas Indians, particularly NRIs and NROs, face a range of issues both in their countries of residence and in supporting their families back home. He said the meeting was convened to identify these concerns and explore possible solutions through discussions with experts and distinguished members of the community.

Welcoming the participants, cell chairman Sarat Chandra Pradhan said the primary objective of the Pravasi Bharatiya Congress Odia Cell is to protect and promote the interests of Non-Resident Odias and overseas Indians. He said the cell would focus on issues such as security, visa-related matters, repatriation, education of children, healthcare for elderly parents in Odisha, and the financial and investment interests of overseas Odias.

During the deliberations, members raised several issues concerning Odisha, including illegal infiltration by Bangladeshi and Rohingya migrants and challenges related to preserving Odia culture and religious traditions abroad. Participants unanimously stressed the need for the cell to engage with relevant government authorities, Indian missions overseas, foreign missions in India and other concerned organisations to effectively address these matters.

Among those present were cell vice-president and coordinator Haribandhu Padhi, Gopal Khandelwal, former MLAs Gregory Minz and Ranjit Bhitiria Sabdega, senior advocate Mohammed Ziaul Haque, trade union leader and social activist Anil Dhir, former PCC general secretary Chinmaya Sundar Das, PCC spokesperson Ashok Swain, Ashish Pal, Gyanendra Pani, Shubhadeep Brahma and several other prominent personalities, who shared their views during the meeting.