The Consulate General of India, Jeddah, organized a function to celebrate the 14th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) on the chancery premises on Monday. The two-hour long program started with Consul General Md. Noor Rahman Sheikh highlighting the importance of the PBD 2017. In his address, Sheikh summarized the three-day long PBD event at Bengaluru, its various sessions and spoke about new programs and schemes for pravasi Indians. About 200 pravasis and the consulate staff attended the event. About 50 pravasis from Jeddah had registered to attend this year's. A pre-recorded speech Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered at PBD in Bengaluru on Sunday was relayed to the audience. It was followed by screening of a documentary on 14th PBD produced by the Ministry of External Affairs. As announced by the prime minister, it was conveyed to the local pravasi community that the consulate will facilitate conversion of PIO cards to OCI cards until June 30, 2017, without penalty. The pravasis were also briefed about the consulate's use of social media such as Twitter, opening of Indian Workers Resource Center (IWRC) on 24X7 basis, holding of open houses on every Sunday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 12 noon and regular consular tours to outstation cities within the consular jurisdiction of the consulate. A lecture by Pawan Kumar Ponnada, head of operations, State Bank of India, Jeddah on "Demonetization Toward Digitalization" was arranged on the occasion. The presentation was very informative and well-received by the audience. The occasion was also utilized to honor select community members with appreciation certificates for their excellent services to the community.
