Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, the annual congregation of Non-resident Indians and Persons of Indian Origin, will kick off in Jaipur on Saturday and discuss ways and means on how they can contribute in the country's inclusive growth.Over

1,300 delegates from 24 countries would participate in the annual event which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will address on Sunday, while President Pratibha Patil would present awards at the Valedictory Ceremony on Monday.

Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi said the sessions at the three-day conference will focus on a number of issues like the role of diaspora in inclusive growth and their problems.

A dozen Union Ministers, including Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, will address the diaspora with Ravi exuding confidence that desired results would be achieved at the end of the event.

"Another main thrust of the event is to find ways and means on how to make the younger generation of Persons of Indian origin to understand about India. We will discuss the issue at length," he told a press conference in New Delhi.

The Minister also dismissed suggestions that the PBD has become more of a "symbolic event" than producing any desired results.

"I would just call these suggestions coming from cynics. People who say this don't invest," he said.

To a question, the Minister said a total of Rs six crore would spent by the Ministry and other sponsors like CII on the annual event.

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