THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has called a meeting of top government officials on Tuesday to take stock of the preparations for the arrival of expatriates from Thursday. The meeting will be held at 10 am and will see ministers including Minister for Minority Welfare and Haj K T Jaleel, NORKA officials and DGP Loknath Behera attending it. Pinarayi Vijayan called the meeting after the Central government informed the state that it would be facilitating the return of Indian nationals stranded abroad in a phased manner from May 7.
The Indian Embassies and High Commissions are preparing a list of distressed Indian citizens. Accordingly, the Centre has urged all state governments to make arrangements including for Covid-19 testing, quarantine and onward movement of the returning Indians.
“We will be initially taking stock of the situation on the number of expatriates who will be returning to Kerala. Accordingly, we will make the arrangements on their quarantine facilities and also on testing for the coronavirus. We also need to know the categories of Malayalis who will be making an initial beeline for the state,” a CMO official told TNIE. All expatriates who return to Kerala would have to follow the various protocols including health protocols issued by the Union Ministry of Health and Ministry of Civil Aviation. The airfare has to be met by the expatriates.
May 7
Date from which Centre will facilitate return of Indians stuck abroad in a phased manner