Puducherry Chief Minister VNarayanasamy on Thursday thanked the Centre for issuing guidelines to facilitate inter-state movement of students, pilgrims, tourists and workers, who were stranded in various parts of the country in view of the COVID-19 lockdown.Speaking to reporters, he said several students, workers, pilgrims and others from the Union Territory were stuck in other states and there were also students stranded in foreign countries."The present guidelines facilitating the return of these workers and others is a timely help and I thank the Home Ministry for the step," he said.Nodal Officers were being appointed region wise to collect details of the people who had gone abroad for studies and for other purposes besides those who had gone to other states as workers and tourists.The Chief Minister said he had recently brought to the notice of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his video conference with Chief Ministers, the need for expeditious steps to facilitate inter-state movement of workers.Migrant workers, tourists and other people stuck in different parts of the country due to the ongoing lockdown were on Wednesday allowed to move to their respective destinations with certain conditions, giving a big relief to the distressed people.The Union Home Ministry also said it has reviewed the COVID-19 situation in the country and found that tremendous gains were achieved during the lockdown and new guidelines will be issued soon, giving considerable relaxations to many districts from May 4.
