Singapore: Three new universities for NRIs and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) are to be set up in India, Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vyalar Ravi said here today.

"The processing has already begun for three Universities," Ravi said adding the first ever NRI/PIO university will come up near Bangalore, and the proposal has already been cleared by the cabinet.

Asked if the three proposed Universities would face problems like Tata in acquiring land, Ravi quipped "Singur is not India. Six chief ministers immediately sent invitations to Tata to set up his Nano plant in their states after the Singur fiasco. Thats India."

Ravi is in Singapore to attend the first ever Pravasi Bharati Diwas (PBD) being held in an Asian country outside India.

The University near Bangalore will be run by a private Manipal University and offer courses in all disciplines including engineering and medicine. The minister said 50 per cent of seats would be earmarked for NRIs and PIOs.

Scholarships would be offered to the children of PIOs and NRIs whose income is less than 2,250 dollars. The overseas Indians Ministry has already offered 120 scholarships over the past five years to needy students, minister said.

Referring to Indian workers being duped by recruitment agents, Ravi said his ministry will immediately suspend the agency on the receipt of any report against them.

"This duping has to be stopped," Ravi said adding the five tribal girls who were dumped in Singapore by an agent and taken to Malaysia by another agent to work as prostitutes had now been flown to India and would leave for their hometown today.
Source : PTI