Lok Sabha Question No. 2970 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-05-11
Subject: New Division for Centre-State Relations
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: BHARATENDRA SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2970 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.05.2016

## NEW DIVISION FOR CENTRE-STATE RELATIONS

## 2970. KUNWAR BHARATENDRA:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS  be pleased to state:

- (a) whether her Ministry has set up a new division for Centre-State relations and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of functions performed by this Division; and
- (c) the  results  achieved  in  bringing  the  States  and  the  missions abroad closer?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS [GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

- (a) Ministry of External Affairs has set up a new division - 'States Division' - in the Ministry in October 2014 to coordinate with States and Union Territories for further facilitation of their efforts to promote their exports and tourism and attract more overseas investments and expertise.  The Division is headed by a Joint Secretary, assisted by two Deputy Secretary level officers and supported by a section.
- (b) The functions of the States Division are to coordinate facilitation of efforts of states in promoting their exports, tourism and attract more overseas investment and expertise. The objective of the Division is to coordinate facilitation of efforts in these areas between our Mission/Post(s) and State/Union Territories Governments as well as  foreign  diplomatic  and  trade  missions  in  India.  It  aims  to  assist States  and  Union  Territories  by  sharing  with  them,  where  required, this Ministry's experience and expertise through training and capacity building  in  areas  relating  to  external  linkages  relating  to  trade, investment, cultural and other such areas.
- (c) Many  steps  were  taken  to  bring  the  States/UTs  and  Missions abroad closer. On the initiative of the States Division, the States and

Union Territories were requested to appoint Nodal Officers who will be  liaising  with  Missions/Posts  abroad.  Heads  of  Missions  were requested  to  appoint  Nodal  Officers  in  the  Missions  who  will  coordinate  with  the  states  in  their  efforts.    List  of  Nodal  Officers  in States  /  Union  Territories  and  Missions  abroad  were  prepared  and exchanged  vice  versa  to  co-ordinate  with  each  other.  Officers  at Missions abroad and at headquarters in MEA were asked to opt for a state each for specialising in it by understanding its specific needs by interacting  with  the  officers  of  the  states.  States  Division,  in  coordination with the Missions/territorial divisions concerned, facilitated the visits of S. Sukhbir Singh Badal, Hon'ble Deputy Chief Minister (HDCM)    of Punjab  to  Poland  and  Hungary  to  attract investment  in  the  state  in  July,  2015;    Shri  Manohar  Lal  Khattar, Hon'ble Chief Minister (CM) of Haryana to USA & Canada from 16th to 25th August 2015 to project Haryana as preferred investment destination;    Shri  Devendra  Fadnavis, Hon'ble  CM  of  Maharashtra  to Japan  from  8-  13  September  2015  to  attend  'Maharashtra  State Investment Promotion Seminar'; induce investment in the state and to unveil the statue of Bharat Ratna, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in Watyarn; Shri K. Chandrashekar Rao, CM of Telangana, to China from 08 to 15 September 2015 to participate in the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Dalian, China;  Shri Shiv Raj Singh Chauhan, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh to Japan and Korea from 29 September - 06 October, 2015 and Smt. Mamata Bannerjee, Hon'ble CM of West Bengal to U.K. to  promote  investment  partnership  and  to  sign  a  number  of  MoUs pertaining  to  urban  development  and  education.  States  Division,  in coordination  with  the  states  and  the  Missions  concerned,  also facilitated  the  signing  of  three  sister-city  agreements  i.e.  Chennai  Chongqing,  Hyderabad  -  Qingdao,  Aurangabad  -  Dunhuang  and  a Sister State agreement between Karnataka - Sichuan on 15 May 2015 during  Hon'ble  Prime  Minister's  visit  to  China.  States  Division  also facilitated  the  signing  of  'Agreement  on  the  Establishment  of  Sister State/Province Relations between State Government of Andhra Pradesh,  Republic  of  India  and  Provincial  Government  of  Sichuan, People's  Republic  of  China  on  08th   April  2016.  Signing  of  these agreements will enhance the outreach of the states in international arena. States Division, in close coordination with the State authorities in Maharashtra, Kerala and other southern states, Missions/Posts abroad, RPOs Mumbai & Cochin and Indian Railways helped in evacuation of stranded Indian nationals from Yemen. States Division  helped  in  relief  and  rescue  operations  in  the  wake  of  the earthquake  in  Nepal  on  25  April  2015  where  thousands  of  Indians were stranded.

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