Chennai, Dec. 26 : Union Minister for Indian Overseas Affairs Vyalar Ravi today assured that the government was doing everything for the safe release of an Indian worker abducted in Afghanistan.

As the deadline to give ransom for release of the Simon Paramnathan ends on Friday, Ravi held over an hour-long meet with Tamil Nadu Chief minister M. Karunanidhi in Chennai at his Gopalapuram residence.

Vyalar Ravi after his meet with the Tamil Nadu CM, said that Chief Minister Karunanidhi wanted to ensure Simon''s safe and immediate release from the captivity of abductors in Afghanistan.

Ravi informed reporters that the Indian Embassy was negotiating with the kidnappers of Simon Paramnathan, who hailed from Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu. Simon was kidnapped by an armed group, who called themselves ''Mujahideen'', supposed to be part of Taliban.

Describing his abduction as retaliatory move for the Government of India''s continued support to the reconstruction of Afghanistan; the group of abductors have demanded a ransom of 150,000 dollars for his release.

However, there is not much information about Simon''s whereabouts since the abductors so far have only contacted his brother staying in Kabul and that too only once.

Besides Simon, Mujahideen also kidnapped his Afghan interpreter and driver on October 13 from Herat Province of Afghanistan.

According to reports, Simon, after having worked in Muscat for six years, moved to Afghanistan to work for an Italian company in Herat.

Meanwhile, Ravi informed that as many as 1,500 Indian diaspora from different countries will attend the annual Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD), due to be held in Chennai between January 8-10 next year at the Trade Centre.

He said there was a good response from the Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to the invitation to attend the seventh edition of the PBD.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would inaugurate the meet on January 8, 2009 and would also be attended by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

He also said that said all the Chief Ministers had been invited to attend the meet. They would get a chance to interact with the delegates and discuss state-specific investment plans with them on October 9. (ANI)