Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs
| Pravāsī Bhāratīya Kārya Mantrālaya | |
 | |
| Ministry overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | May 2004 |
| Dissolved | 7 January 2016 |
| Superseding Ministry | |
| Jurisdiction | Government of India |
| Headquarters | Akbar Bhawan, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi[1] |
| Website | www |
The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) was a ministry of the Government of India. It was dedicated to all matters relating to the Indian diaspora around the world.
History
[edit]Ministry was established in May 2004 as the Ministry of Non-Resident Indians' Affairs. It was renamed as the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) in September 2004.[2]
Positioned as a ‘Services’ Ministry, it provided information, partnerships and facilitations for all matters related to Overseas Indians: Non-Resident Indian and Person of Indian Origin.[2]
The Ministry was merged with the Ministry of External Affairs on 7 January 2016.[3] The government said that the decision was taken in line with government's "overall objective of minimizing government and maximizing governance" and that it will help the government address duplication as well as unnecessary delays.[4]
Structure
[edit]The Ministry had four functional service divisions to handle its services:[2]
- Diaspora Services
- Financial Services
- Emigration Services
- Management Services
The first two divisions were headed by Joint Secretaries. The Protector General of Emigrants (PGoE) headed the Overseas Employment Services Division. The Social Services Unit and the Management Services Unit were staffed with officers of the rank of Deputy Secretary. The Information Services Unit was headed by Senior Technical Director (NIC).[5]
The ministry also sponsored the annual Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (Non-resident Indian Day) established in 2003, when it also instituted the annual Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award.[6]
Cabinet Ministers
[edit]- Note: MoS, I/C – Minister of State (Independent Charge)
| No. | Portrait | Minister (Birth-Death) Constituency |
Term of office | Political party | Ministry | Prime Minister | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | To | Period | ||||||||
| Minister of Non-Resident Indian Affairs | ||||||||||
| 1 | 
|
Jagdish Tytler (born 1944) MP for Delhi Sadar (MoS, I/C) |
23 May 2004 |
9 September 2004 |
109 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan I | Manmohan Singh | ||
| Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs | ||||||||||
| (1) |
|
Jagdish Tytler (born 1944) MP for Delhi Sadar (MoS, I/C) |
9 September 2004 |
10 August 2005 |
335 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan I | Manmohan Singh | ||
| – | 
|
Manmohan Singh (born 1932) Rajya Sabha MP for Assam (Prime Minister)[7] |
10 August 2005 |
18 November 2005 |
100 days | |||||
| 2 | 
|
Oscar Fernandes (1941–2021) Rajya Sabha MP for Karnataka (MoS, I/C) |
18 November 2005 |
29 January 2006 |
72 days | |||||
| 3 | 
|
Vayalar Ravi (born 1937) Rajya Sabha MP for Kerala |
29 January 2006 |
22 May 2009 |
8 years, 117 days | |||||
| 28 May 2009 |
26 May 2014 |
Manmohan II | ||||||||
| 4 | 
|
Sushma Swaraj (1952–2019) MP for Vidisha |
26 May 2014 |
7 January 2016 |
1 year, 226 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi I | Narendra Modi | ||
| Ministry disestablished in 2016[a] | ||||||||||
Ministers of State
[edit]| No. | Portrait | Minister (Birth-Death) Constituency |
Term of office | Political party | Ministry | Prime Minister | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | To | Period | ||||||||
| 1 | 
|
General V. K. Singh (Retd.) PVSM AVSM YSM ADC (born 1950) MP for Ghaziabad |
26 May 2014 |
7 January 2016 |
1 year, 226 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi I | Narendra Modi | ||
| Ministry disestablished in 2016[a] | ||||||||||
See also
[edit]- Indian diaspora
- Pravasi Bharatiya Samman
- Pravasi Bharatiya Divas
- Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Suraksha Yojana
Notes
[edit]- ^ a b The ministry's competences were transferred to the Ministry of External Affairs.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ "Important Contacts". Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
- ^ a b c "An Overview". Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016.
- ^ Sushma Swaraj [@SushmaSwaraj] (7 January 2016). "Hon'ble Prime Minister has kindly accepted my proposal. So MOIA will now be part of Ministry of External Affairs" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Government to merge overseas Indian affairs ministry with MEA - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
- ^ "About Us". Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs. Archived from the original on 15 August 2007.
- ^ "Pravasi Bharatiya Divas". Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs website. Archived from the original on 26 November 2010.
- ^ "Council of Ministers" (PDF).
- ^ Bureau, BW Online. "Ministry Of Overseas Indian Affairs Merged With External Affairs Ministry". BW Businessworld. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
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