Insta
Centre Begins Preparations To Run Special Flights In Early May To Bring Back Indians Stranded Abroad
Swarajya Staff
Apr 26, 2020, 11:18 AM | Updated 11:18 AM IST
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
The Government has got the ball rolling to run multiple special flights in early May month to bring back home several thousands of Indian nationals who have been stranded abroad amid the COVID-19 crisis, reports Hindustan Times.
Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi is said to have been holding discussions with senior ministers and officials to chalk out the modalities to bring back the Indians abroad for a week now.
Acting in the similar direction, nation's topmost bureaucrat, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba instructed the Chief Secretaries of all States during a video conferencing meeting on Friday (24 April) to earmark hospital beds and quarantine zones to house the people who are set to be brought back.
Meanwhile, Union Minister S Jaishankar led Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is working to make an assessment of the Indians abroad who wish to return home. The Ministry is also setting up a separate control room for the same purpose.
It should be noted that there is yet no formal communication whether the lockdown will be lifted on 3 May. However, the recent directions by the centre to ease the restrictions gradually, signalled that the government was heading in this direction.
As per an estimate, Kerala alone is expecting a lakh expats to return once the flight operations commence. Apart from Kerala, other States which are expecting large counts of people to return from abroad include Maharashtra, Punjab, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Introducing ElectionsHQ + 50 Ground Reports Project
The 2024 elections might seem easy to guess, but there are some important questions that shouldn't be missed.
Do freebies still sway voters? Do people prioritise infrastructure when voting? How will Punjab vote?
The answers to these questions provide great insights into where we, as a country, are headed in the years to come.
Swarajya is starting a project with an aim to do 50 solid ground stories and a smart commentary service on WhatsApp, a one-of-a-kind. We'd love your support during this election season.
Click below to contribute.