Amarinder Singh seeks Centre's support on scheme for young NRIs, Connect with Your Roots (CYR) programme

Amarinder Singh has sought Centre’s support to launch a 'Connect with Your Roots' (CYR) programme for young boys and girls of Punjabi origin settled abroad..

CHANDIGARH: Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh has sought Centre's support to launch a 'Connect with Your Roots' (CYR) programme for young boys and girls of Punjabi origin settled abroad.

The chief minister discussed the proposed programme with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their meeting.

The programme, said Amarinder, would provide an opportunity to the youngsters, settled in different parts of the world, to visit the places from where their families hailed, or where their grandparents were born, or where they themselves spent their early years.

The proposed scheme could be open to young boys and girls in the 16-22 age group, he suggested, adding that the programme would provide these youngsters a platform to go back to their roots and connect with the same.

It would also enable them to learn about their family background, and the culture to which they belong, and also to build an emotional bonding with the country of their roots, he said, adding that there was a lot of curiosity among Indian-origin youngsters settled in other countries to know about their ancestral home.

Punjab government has already launched a `Friends of Punjab' scheme for NRIs or Punjabi origin to participate in the development and growth of the state. The new programme will enhance the NRI engagement at the level of the youth, who can be a vital engine in the state's programme, said the chief minister.

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