About half of the applicants who are hoping to return to India from the United Arab Emirates, are from Kerala.
Over 1.5 lakh Indians in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have registered to fly home amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, as per latest figures from the e-registration campaign launched by Indian missions, Gulf News has reported.
"As of 6.00 pm on Saturday (May 2), we received more than 1,50,000 registrations," Gulf News quoted Consul General of India in Dubai, Vipul, as saying. The Consul General added that a quarter of these individuals want to return home after having lost their jobs.
"About 40 percent of the applicants are workers and 20 percent are professionals. Overall, 25 percent have cited job-loss as the reason for leaving the country," Vipul was further quoted as saying.
About 10 percent of these applicants are tourist visa holders who were stranded after India suspended all international flights. The remaining are reportedly applicants with medical emergencies, pregnant women and students.
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The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate in Dubai had on April 29 began e-registration for forming a database of citizens who wished to return to India.
The report adds that 50 percent of the applicants are from Kerala.
The Centre is reportedly preparing a mega plan to evacuate and repatriate Indians in Gulf countries. Reports suggest that the first phase of evacuation could begin with the UAE with distressed workers, especially those from the state of Kerala getting the first priority.
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