Ensure enough quarantine centres are opened for Indians returning from abroad: MHA to states

As stranded Indians abroad will reach India from Thursday, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asked states to make advance preparations for arranging adequate number of institutional quarantine centres for them to control the spread of coronavirus.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla wrote to State Chief Secretaries on Wednesday asking them to submit action taken reports on arrangements made to both the MHA as well as Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

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In his letter, he said that the advance preparations should be made for arranging an adequate number of institutional quarantine centres so that arriving Indian nationals are accommodated immediately on their return to the country.

According to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) issued by the MHA on Tuesday, all arriving Indian nationals will be lodged mandatorily in all institutional quarantine facilities arranged by state governments for 14 days.

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It has also said that these facilities should be arranged, as far as possible, at the district headquarters of the districts to which the arriving passengers belong.

Between May 7 and 13, India has planned to operate 64 flights to 12 countries from where stranded Indians will be transported. Naval ships are also being despatched to fetch Indians stranded in some other countries.

According to the SOP, migrant workers who lost jobs, people with short term visas, pregnant women, elderly and those who are required to return due to death in family will get priority during this exercise.