Fulfilled my promise of merging OCI, PIO cards: Modi

Gandhinagar, Jan 8: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday said he has fulfilled his promise to the diaspora of merging the Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) and Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards. "I can say with pride that I have done what I promised. I said that PIO and OCI cards will get lifelong visas and the work is done," he said at the 13th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas here as the crowd cheered. He said the government has done away with the requirement of PIO card holders living in India to visit a police station, as it is "a question of the swabhiman (self pride)" of the diaspora, adding he wondered why the requirement existed at all. He said his promise of merging PIO and OCI cards which he made during his address at the Madison Square Garden in New York has been fulfilled.