The government of India has added 141 more flights to West Asian countries for the second phase of Vande Bharat Mission, its massive repatriation programme for citizens stranded overseas because of Covid-19-related travel restrictions.
The second phase was to end on May 22. However, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said the ongoing phase will last till June 13 and that India is looking at making Frankfurt a hub for the mission.
With these new flights, more than half of them to the United Arab Emirates, the total number of flights in the second phase of the programme have gone up to more than 400, people familiar with developments said on condition of anonymity.
The flights were added due to increased demand from citizens stranded in West Asian countries and the availability of adequate quarantine facilities in states for the returning Indians, the people said. As with all the flights operated so far under Vande Bharat Mission, priority will be given in the second phase to Indian nationals with compelling reasons for returning to the country, they added.
The additional flights are from the UAE (81 flights), Oman and Saudi Arabia (15 flights each), Kuwait (14 flights), Qatar (11 flights) and Bahrain (five flights).
A majority of the flights are bound for Kerala (84 flights), while the other destinations are Delhi (10 flights), Tamil Nadu (nine flights), Telangana (six flights) Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir (five flights each), Bihar, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh (four flights each), Punjab (three flights), Odisha and West Bengal (two flights each), Chandigarh, Karnataka and Goa (one flight each).
The other 260-odd flights being operated during the second phase of Vande Bharat Mission are from Armenia, Australia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, Egypt, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Tajikistan, the UK, Ukraine and the US.
The second phase of the repatriation programme began on May 16 and will continue till June 13, with all the flights being operated by state-run Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express. Private airlines are likely to be included in the third phase.
As of Thursday, a total of 23,475 Indians have been repatriated under Vande Bharat Mission. The second phase had included new destinations such as Istanbul, Ho Chi Minh City and Lagos, and had increased flights to the US and Europe.
More than 259,000 Indians in 98 countries across the world have registered to return under Vande Bharat Mission. Most of them are workers (28%), students (25%), professionals (14.5%), and short-term visa holders such as tourists (7.6%). Fishermen, deportees and Indian nationals who benefited from visa amnesties have also registered.
Chiku, married to Linson Thomas, also working as a male nurse in the same hospital, failed to turn up for work at around 11 pm local time. Mr Thomas, who was on duty at the hospital, went to their apartment and found her dead with grievous injuries. T.I. Varghese, a close relative of the family, told this newspaper that the woman was suspected to be hacked with a sharp edged weapon.
Comments
it is clear that the baby was targeted, otherwise there was no need to stab a woman with so many stabs if the reason was only ROBBERY. i trust our dear HM that he will find out the monster, this cannot be an act of a human being. THE EYES OF GOD THE ALMIGHTY OVERLOOKS EACH AND EVERY CREATION OF HIS AND THE CULPRIT WILL NOT ESCAPE THE WRATH OF GOD.
As a mother of 9 year old baby which my GOD blessed me after much trials for 6 years, i only ask \why\""
#5
Either YOU are ignorant of GOD or U are a fool to believe such a way.
God created all that exists in this EARTH and he has proportioned everything. Humans are one of the intelligent creation of ALLAH and as we advance technologically.. Human moral are decreasing and they rely on the advancement of technology. Mobile are good but when people use for BAD it is affecting the society. Everywhere U see evil, we need to stop it rather than ignoring.
When EVIL increases WE should voice out ... which we dont see now a days... it is our job too to voice out the EVIL done in our society.
God is most merciful, the culprit may escape cos of a merciful now , but his life will not get contentment in this world unless he asks forgiveness with the victim & with the creator who gave the LIFE to all.. There is a day when everything thing will be judged in front of THE CREATOR.
He gave us LIFE and he is the one who takes LIFE. Had U ever look what GOD says in his message .. if not please lOOK QURAN and find out what he says in QURAN on the PURPOSE of LIFE, Good and EVIL and HEAVEN and HELL>
First know WHO is ALLAH and then learn more about his messenger like Prophet Muhammd pbuh, jesus, moses, ibrahim, noah and many other... Who conveyed What is LIFE and what is our duties.
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