The Prime Minister says, the country will grow at the rate of 9 to 10 per cent next year. Inaugurating the 9th edition of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in New Delhi this morning, Dr. Manmohan Singh said, this growth is vital for funding social development programmes in the country. He observed this will generate more employment opportunities as well.Dr. Singh informed that adequate systemic changes are being brought for greater transparency in the governance process. Though there are inbuilt mechanism for course correction, he emphasised that consensus is needed to bring about far-reaching changes. He asserted that the government is sincerely working towards this end.Urging the Indian diaspora to invest in the untapped potential of North-Eastern Region in India, Dr. Singh said, all necessary requirements will be facilitiated for the two-way growth. The Prime Minister also announced merging of the Overseas Citizen of India, OCI, and the Persons of Indian Origin ,PIO, cards into a single facility to simplify visa-free entry and participation of Indian diaspora in business and other activities in India. Dr. Singh also said that the government had decided to extend the facility of the Indian Community Welfare Fund to all the Indian Missions from the current 42. Hailing the Indian diaspora, he pointed out that the Government had introduced the OCI and PIO cards to facilitate visa-free travel of NRIs and Indian Origin people to India as well as to provide them rights of residency and participation in business and educational activities. Highlighting India's emegence on the world scenario, the Prime Minister said that all the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) visited India last year. This week onwards, India will be working with them in the UNSC for next two years. Dr. Manmohan Singh emphasised that the world wants India to play a greater role and this would be achieved through renewing the contry's bondage with Indians overseas.Addressing the diaspora, the Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi said that his Ministry is working towards promoting legal migration through various measures. He informed that, to enable the Indian diaspora to participating adult franchise in India, the representation of People's Act has been amended. Now the NRIs can be enrole as voters in their constituencies. The Minister informed that till now seven lakh overseas India cards have been issued. The last year 20 thousand cards were distributed. Speaking on the occasion, the Minister for Development of north eastern region, B.K. Handique urged the Indian diaspora to invest in eight north eastern states which have a tremendous potential for business and trade in south east Asia. AIR correspondent reports that the theme of this year's event is “Engaing the global Indian” with special focus on investment in north east region of the country. Several parallel sessions have been organised on various issues. About one thousand five hundred delegates from over 50 countries are participating in the brain storming sessions. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has allayed apprehensions of non-resident Indians -NRIs – that the proposed Direct Taxes Code ,DTC, will be hard on them in terms of their tax liability. Clarifying that no decision has been taken in terms of DTC as the bill is currently being scrutinised by a standing committee of Parliament, Mukherjee said it is a wrong perception that NRIs become Indian resident for the purpose of taxation if he or she stays in India for 60 days in a financial year. Ministry of Overseas Affairs has approached the Finance Ministry over this clause, which the Finance Minister termed as misconception. Speaking at a sepcial session of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in New Delhi today, Mukherjee explained that as per the DTC proposal, an individual will be resident only if he has also stayed for 365 days or more in the preceding four financial years, together with 60 days in a financial year. Explaining further, the Finance Minister said even if a person becomes a resident in any financial year, his global income does not immediately becomes taxable in India. Mukherjee explained that the global income will only be taxable if he also stayed in India for 9 out of 10 precedent years or 730 days in the preceding seven years. AIR correspondent reports, DTC bill was tabled by the Government in Parliament last year and is expected to replace the archaic Income Tax Act from April one, 2012.