Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

With international travel banned due to the coronavirus lockdown, the Uttar Pradesh Government is preparing to launch a dedicated website for non-resident Indians (NRIs) by next week.

The website will not only facilitate investment by NRIs but also live-stream significant cultural and religious tourism events such as Deepotsav in Ayodhya or Holi of Barsana.

Once ready, the website is expected to be launched by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

A presentation for the website was made before MSME Minister Sidhartha Nath Singh by the NRI department on Wednesday.

The website will have links to various departments such as tourism, Nivesh Mitra, and medium, micro and small enterprises (MSMEs).

“This website will be a game changer for us as it will not just be a web portal but also a communication tool. It will be linked to the tourism, investment, MSME, investment promotion and all our policies. All information related to NRIs will also be communicated through this portal,” Singh told The Indian Express, adding that a large number of people have approached the government to “trace their roots”.

Asked about the live stream of festivals, Singh said, “From tourism point of view, two things have become very popular. While one is Deepotsav in Ayodhya, another is holi in Barsana, then there are other significant cultural events as well, including Dev Deepawali in Varanasi etc. All will be live-streamed through the website.”

The proposed website can also register and verify participation of NRIs for Pravasi Bharatiya Divas and receive applications for the “Pravasi Ratna” award.