Jalandhar, Jan 16 (IANS): Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Friday exhorted the Punjabi diaspora to establish NRI schools across the state for connecting their future generations with their roots.

Addressing the second NRI Sangat Darshan here, 150 km from Chandigarh, Badal said that the younger generations of the Punjabi diaspora were somewhat detached from the land of their forefathers.

"The need of the hour was to reverse this trend by making all out efforts in this direction. This goal could be achieved only if the NRIs take the initiative of opening NRI schools across the state," Badal told the NRIs.

The chief minister said that these schools should be built exclusively for NRI students and should be run by the managements comprising of NRIs.

"The standard of these schools should be at par with the schools being run in foreign countries so that NRI kids could be imparted hi-end school education. The NRI students must study in these schools for at least five years, so that they could be acquainted with the rich cultural heritage of their parental land," Badal said.

Punjab has a big NRI community settled in the US, Canada, Britain, European countries, Australia, south-east Asia and other countries.