PANJIM: With over 4500 Goans from 65 countries registering themselves to return back to their hometown amidst coronavirus scare, the NRI Commission of Goa has urged upon Central government to include Goa in its ‘Vande Bharat Mission’ and allow commissioning of International Airport at Dabolim for special flights.
Vande Bharat Mission is the massive repatriation operation planned by the Central government to bring back stranded Indians in different parts of the world in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over 4500 Goans have registered themselves on NRI Commission’s portal for coming back to India.
Commissioner for NRI Affairs, Goa, Narendra Sawaikar has urged Union Ministry of Home Affairs to include Goa in its “Vande Bharat Mission”, the first phase of which started on May 7.
“I urge upon the Central Ministry to let Goa international airport at Dabolim be opened for flight movement in order to get back stranded Goans via direct special flights,” Sawaikar said.
Sawaikar said Goa does not figure in the first phase of the MEA’s repatriation initiative, but efforts are on to get the natives back in the coming phase.
The registered Goans are spread across 65 countries, mostly in the Middle East and the UK.
Sources revealed that the Central Ministry has assured the State to include Goa airport in the next phase of evacuation.
As reported, nearly 100-odd Goans stranded in UAE are struggling and trying hard to get back home. Several amongst these have also lost jobs.
Speaking on the same, Sawaikar said that whoever has registered with us, we have submitted their details to the Central government for evacuation. “If there is any issue, let them bring to our notice,” he said.
