President Murmu announces relaxation of OCI card norms for Indian expatriates in Suriname
New Delhi (IANS) | President Draupadi Murmu has announced that India has increased the eligibility criteria for OCI card from fourth to sixth generation. The President is on a visit to Suriname. He made the announcement after witnessing a cultural festival in the capital Paramaribo on Monday to mark 150 years of the arrival of Indians in Suriname.
He said that the OCI card can be seen as an important link in their 150-year-old relationship with India.
The President urged the members of the Indian diaspora to continue their efforts to maintain their ties with India.
President Murmu said that at a time when Suriname is celebrating the heritage of its ancestors and its ties with India, India stands with Suriname in solidarity and reverence.
Murmu further noted that both Suriname and India have made efforts to rebuild their economies and social systems after long periods of colonial rule.
This experience has created a sense of solidarity between the two countries.
The first ship named Lalla Rukh reached Suriname on June 5, 1873 carrying 452 Indian laborers.
Most of the laborers were from eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
–IANS
