NRIs from Punjab worried about ‘unauthorised sale’ of their properties in Indian state: US immigrant body

• Shubham
• 04 February, 2023

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By: Shubham Ghosh

The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA), a US-based NRI body, has said immigrants from the state are worried about “unauthorised” sale of their properties back home.

NAPA executive director Satnam Singh Chahal demanded the state government amend policies on immigrant Punjabis.

In a release issued in Chandigarh, the capital of the Indian state of Punjab, on Saturday (4), he said the state government of Punjab had assured the migrant Indians of security of their properties in the state through a law.

According to the law, he said, the consent of the real owner must be required for the sale of a property, but the immigrants today are worried about the “unauthorized” sale of their properties in the state.

The Punjab government should also look into why the migrant Punjabis who were once eager to buy land in the state are now eager to sell their property.

Chahal demanded that all such properties of migrant Indians be transferred or sold only after the Revenue Department informs the deputy commissioner of the area. At the time of the sale of the property, the original NRI owner should be contacted and his consent taken, he said.

It will help address a major problem of migrant Indians and provide them a huge relief, he said. He said this is very unfortunate that expatriate Indians are worried about the security of their properties in their own country.

Migrant Punjabis trust caretakers/power of attorney holders, but they get cheated, he said. he also said previous governments had given the green flag to the proposal of NRI Property Safeguards Act, and demanded more powers for NRI courts in Punjab.

Chahal alleged that revenue officials are delaying the work of migrant Indians which is a matter of great concern. He said Illegal Human Trafficking Act-2010 was passed in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, and was amended in 2012.

The main purpose of this law was to curb illegal human trafficking from Punjab, but the menace is increasing day by the day, he said. He claimed the law made to stop human trafficking has turned out to be a mere document.

(PTI)