12 May 2020, Kathmandu
Almost 600,000 Nepalis have been stranded in various parts of the world desperately waiting for the day the lockdown is lifted.
They will return home once the ongoing lockown is lifted and international flights resume.
A total of 588, 700 Nepalis stranded abroad due to Coronavirus-induced lockdown want to return home.
The government bodies including the Foreign Employment Board under the coordination of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have collected the details of the Nepali nationals stranded abroad in collaboration with the various diplomatic missions and the Non-Resident Nepali Association.
According to the Ministry, most of the people featuring in the list are those who have lost their jobs due to Coronavirus. The others are those who want return home over their visa expiry, and those who had gone on a tour and remained stranded due to ban on the international flights.
Speaking at a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation of State’s Directive Principles, Policies, Responsibilities on Monday, Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Gyawali informed that 210, 871 Nepalis stranded abroad have immediately to be brought back home while over 377,000 will be rescued later.
Over 250,000 Nepalis are stranded in India alone, Minister Gyawali shared.
