Wednesday, June 29 2005 21:39 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Government has promulgated an ordinance to grant citizenship to Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) other than those who had ever been citizens of Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Ordinance 2005 was promulgated yesterday (Jun 28, 2005), a Home Ministry spokesman said today (Jun 29, 2005). The ordinance amends the Citizenship Act 1955.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had announced during the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas in January this year to extend the facility of Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) to all countries beyond the 16 nations mentioned in the Citizenship Act.

"This ordinance will fulfil that commitment", the spokesman said.