Government allows some 800 Nepalis to return home daily

 The government has increased the number of homecoming Nepalis number to a maximum of 800 from earlier 500 per day.

The cabinet meeting –yesterday – has decided to allow 800 people to enter Nepal via air route from tomorrow, confirmed government spokesperson Dr Yuba raj Khatiwada. Earlier, the government had claimed to allow only 500 people to enter Nepal. But after the pressure from stranded Nepalis abroad, the government has been forced to increase number by 300.

“International air services, including scheduled commercial flights and repatriation charter flights, are set to resume from tomorrow,” he said, adding that the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation will manage the number of flights and passengers on the basis of availability of hotel quarantines. “The number of passengers brought to Nepal through regular scheduled flights or charter flights should not exceed 800.”

“It requires coordination between a lot of bodies as there were some incidents where flights had to be cancelled last time around,” Khatiwada said. “The flight had to be cancelled due to the lack of availability of quarantine facilities.”

Likewise, the government has decided to allow Non-resident Nepalis (NRNs) to come to Nepal after recommendations by the diplomatic missions in the designated countries. “The embassies in the respective countries will recommend the names of NRNs, if a member of his/her family dies or if he/she has to visit Nepal for serious medical treatments,” the government has decided. “After it is confirmed the individual will be allowed to come to Nepal.”

Likewise, the government has allowed the charter repatriation flights from countries like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, where PCR tests are not accessible. “The flights will be managed for those, who are willing to come back to Nepal at their own expenses or if their companies pay for them,” he said, adding that international students, who are required to come to Nepal for examinations will also be allowed to enter Nepal, if their teachers and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology verify their requests. “Such students need to follow all the protocols prepared by the government and produce PCR negative test reports issued within 72 hours at the time of boarding the aircraft.”