For decades, Non-Resident Punjabis have remained deeply connected with their motherland. They have invested their lifetime savings in Punjab, purchased agricultural land, constructed houses, supported educational institutions, contributed to hospitals and religious organisations, and helped their families and communities financially. Many NRIs continue to dream of returning to their ancestral villages after retirement. Unfortunately, their emotional attachment to Punjab is not always matched by the treatment they receive when they face problems back home. The biggest question today is whether the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government genuinely cares about NRIs or simply remembers them whenever it needs publicity, investment and political support.
Since assuming power in March 2022, the AAP government has repeatedly announced initiatives for the welfare of NRIs. Ministers have organised NRI Milnis, launched websites, conducted online meetings and made promises about fast-track courts. However, the ground reality must be measured by actual results. Can an NRI living in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia or Europe protect ancestral property in Punjab without repeatedly travelling thousands of kilometres? Can someone recover illegally occupied land? Can an NRI obtain justice without spending years running between police stations, government offices and courts? These are the questions that matter.
May 2022: Within months of coming to power, the government announced plans to establish five additional NRI-designated courts in Bathinda, Nawanshahr, Patiala, Hoshiarpur and Moga. At that time, the government acknowledged that approximately 2,500 NRI-related cases were pending and promised a mechanism for time-bound disposal. This was an important announcement, but the diaspora expected implementation rather than another government declaration. Even today, NRIs continue to demand the reactivation of NRI courts and faster disposal of their cases. The government must publicly explain the actual status of the five proposed courts.
December 2022: The government organised NRI Milnis at Jalandhar, Mohali, Ludhiana, Moga and Amritsar. According to the official account, 609 applications were received and forwarded to the concerned departments. Such meetings allowed NRIs to present their problems directly to ministers and officials. But what happened after the meetings? How many people recovered their properties? How many received justice? How many complaints resulted in meaningful action? A meeting can listen to a grievance, but only effective administration can solve it.
December 2023:Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann launched a dedicated NRI Affairs website on December 29, 2023. The government presented it as an important step towards providing information and online grievance facilities. Digital services are welcome, but an online portal cannot remove illegal occupants from someone’s property, correct forged land records or force an unresponsive police officer to act. NRIs need a system that produces results, not simply a website through which they can submit another complaint.
2024: In January 2024, the NRI Affairs Minister reported that approximately 610 property-related complaints had been received during the NRI Milnis, with 595 reportedly settled. In December 2024, the government introduced online NRI Milni facilities so that people living abroad could raise their grievances without physically attending meetings.These initiatives may have helped some complainants, but the fundamental question remains: what does the government mean by a complaint being settled? Has the rightful owner actually recovered possession? Has an illegal transaction been cancelled? Has the accused been prosecuted? Administrative disposal and actual justice are two different things.
2025: The government announced monthly online interactions with NRIs in 2025. In April, the NRI Affairs Minister reportedly stated that 542 complaints had been received during the first four online meetings, of which 488 had been disposed of. Yet the continuing complaints about property occupation, documentation fraud, inheritance disputes and police inaction indicate that a permanent solution is still needed.
January 2026: The NRI Sabha Punjab, which is supposed to represent the interests of the diaspora, faced a serious governance controversy. According to a January 20, 2026, report in The Indian Express, the president’s two-year tenure ended on January 4, but the election schedule had not been announced. Members raised concerns about transparency, governance and the functioning of the institution.How can NRIs expect effective representation when their own representative institution faces uncertainty over its leadership and elections? The government must ensure that the NRI Sabha functions democratically, transparently and independently.
January 2026: Another significant development came when the Punjab and Haryana High Court raised concerns about FIRs being registered on the basis of complaints received through emails by the Punjab NRI Cell. On January 14, 2026, the court directed the state to formulate a proper Standard Operating Procedure to ensure that allegations were verified and investigations conducted in a legally sound manner.This illustrates that an effective NRI grievance system must protect genuine complainants while also preventing misuse of the process. Justice must be fair, transparent and based on evidence.
June 2026: In June 2026, NRI Affairs Minister Dr Ravjot Singh stated that the department had received 26,828 complaints between January 2022 and May 2026, of which 25,870 had been disposed of. He also reported that 1,187 FIRs had been registered and 1,451 accused arrested.These figures deserve acknowledgement, but the public also deserves a detailed explanation of what disposal means. How many properties were actually recovered? How many illegal occupants were removed? How many cases resulted in convictions? How many complaints remain pending? How many NRIs are still fighting the same battles after years of correspondence with government departments?The government should publish district-wise and category-wise performance reports. The number of complaints closed cannot, by itself, establish that justice has been delivered.
September 2026: A September 23 report in The Times of India highlighted continuing demands from NRI representatives for protection of overseas-owned properties, faster legal proceedings and greater powers for NRI police stations. The NRI Sabha also demanded the reactivation of NRI courts and the appointment of NRI Lambardars to help monitor properties belonging to people living abroad.Think about it: after more than four years of AAP rule, NRIs are still demanding the very basic facilities that should have been established as a priority. If the existing system is working effectively, why are these demands still being raised?
For many overseas Punjabis, their ancestral home and agricultural land represent generations of family history. Some have spent decades working abroad to build a house in their village. Others have inherited land from their parents and grandparents. Yet when they discover illegal occupation, disputed documents, unauthorised construction or inheritance-related fraud, obtaining justice can become a long and expensive struggle.
An NRI cannot be expected to board a flight every time a government official refuses to respond or a police station delays action. There must be a dedicated system through which complaints are investigated, properties are monitored and legal proceedings are expedited.The government should introduce a comprehensive NRI property-protection mechanism, strengthen NRI police stations, provide legal assistance, establish functional designated courts and create an accountable online tracking system. The NRI Sabha should also be empowered to represent the community effectively.
Where is the promised effective network of NRI-designated courts? What is the actual status of the five additional courts announced in 2022? Why are NRI Sabha members still raising concerns about institutional governance? Why do NRIs continue to demand stronger police powers and property protection? How many of the complaints described as resolved have resulted in actual recovery of property and final legal relief?These are not political allegations. They are legitimate questions about governance and public accountability.
Punjab’s diaspora has contributed enormously to the state’s economy, international reputation, education, healthcare and social development. Many overseas Punjabis have continued to support their villages even when government institutions have failed to provide basic services. They deserve more than ceremonial welcomes and photographs with ministers.
Mr Chief Minister, NRIs do not need another NRI Milni merely for photographs, speeches and publicity. They do not need another announcement that their complaints will be resolved within a fixed period unless the government is prepared to ensure that commitment is fulfilled.They need protection for their properties, justice for their families, honest officials, responsive police stations, functioning courts and a representative institution that actually works.
The diaspora has never forgotten Punjab. It sends money, supports families, builds homes, contributes to communities and keeps Punjab alive in its heart, regardless of how many miles separate it from the homeland.After more than four years of AAP governance, the government must be judged not by the number of meetings it has organised but by the number of lives it has improved and the problems it has permanently solved.NRIs do not need slogans. They need solutions. Punjab must respect its diaspora not just in speeches, but through action
Disclaimer: This article and accompanying images are for informational and illustrative purposes only. Some visuals may be AI-generated or digitally enhanced and may not depict actual events or persons. Views expressed are based on publicly available information and analysis