Swain writes to CM for evacuation of Odias in Bahrain

BHUBANESWAR:  Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain on Tuesday sought intervention of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for evacuation of over 150 Odias stranded in Bahrain. In a letter to the Chief Minister, Swain stated that people have registered their names under Vande Bharat Mission for repatriation to India. The Odia expatriates had requested Swain to facilitate for their return during a video conference on May 30.

Writing separately to R Srivastava, nodal officer for Odisha in the Ministry of External Affairs, Swain requested for making necessary arrangement for the return of stranded people through direct flight from Baharin. In case such an arrangement is not feasible, they can be brought back to India first and a connecting flight may be scheduled to drop them in Bhubaneswar. He had requested the Chief Minister on Monday for evacuation of about 300 Odia people stuck up in the UAE.