High Commissioner briefs local ethnic media on repatriation plan for Indians stranded in NZ
Indian High Commissioner to New Zealand Muktesh Pardeshi has briefed the local ethnic media on the repatriation plan for the Indians stranded in the country since the last two months.
Mr Pardeshi addressed the representatives of ethnic media from all over the country (New Zealand) and was ably supported in the endeavour by his two senior-most officials Paramjeet Singh, Second Secretary, and C Jeykumar Doss, Head of Chancery at the office of the High Commission.
Mr Pardeshi expressed satisfaction on starting the process of collection of data of stranded Indians in NZ much before the government of India actually arrived on a decision of beginning its stranded citizens from overseas and was amongst the first missions to send actual numbers to the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
“We have received expressions of interest from more than 2000 Indians for returning home in the government-assisted repatriation flights,” Mr Pardeshi said.
“While the majority of them are tourists and social visitors who have arrived in the country in January-February and were scheduled to return back late March or early April, but we have also registered some interest of people who were temporarily residing in the country on different visa categories (work visas) who have lost their jobs and are not hopeful of getting their visas extended keen to return home on govt assisted flights,” Mr Pardeshi said.
The High Commissioner also expressed satisfaction and thanked the NZ government for acting early and compassionately in extending temporary visas of many Indian citizens who were stranded at the onset of global travel restrictions owing to Covid-19 global pandemic.
More than 100,000$ spent on supporting Indian citizens in distress
Mr Pardeshi informed the media, though in a subdued manner, that his office and the office of the Consulate of India in Auckland had spent more than $100k in providing help and support to the Indian citizens, students, and work visa holders in distress as and when required.
“It is not a time to tell the numbers, but it is just to reiterate that we are there to help,” Mr Pardeshi said.
Expressing satisfaction and gratitude to Hon Consul Bhav Dhillon for leading the High Commission's endeavour of helping Indian people in distress Mr Pardeshi said, “We are thankful to Mr Dhillon for leading the relief mission in Auckland and up north where a majority of our Indian diaspora resides.”
Joining from Auckland on Webex, Mr Dhillion reiterated the High Commission's message and said, “Our doors, both office’s and our hearts are always open for the Indians in distress.”
Meanwhile, the High Commissioner also briefed the Standard Operation Procedure (SOPs) for the Indians stranded in NZ keen to return home ranging from downloading in the Ministry of Ayush’s Arogya app and getting mandatory testing done prior to departure to India.
Notably, the Indian Weekender had earlier reported on the mandatory actions needed from Indians stranded in New Zealand for the eligibility of being accepted in India.
Indian High Commissioner to New Zealand Muktesh Pardeshi has briefed the local ethnic media on the repatriation plan for the Indians stranded in the country since the last two months.
Mr Pardeshi addressed the representatives of ethnic media from all over the country (New Zealand) and was ably...
Indian High Commissioner to New Zealand Muktesh Pardeshi has briefed the local ethnic media on the repatriation plan for the Indians stranded in the country since the last two months.
Mr Pardeshi addressed the representatives of ethnic media from all over the country (New Zealand) and was ably supported in the endeavour by his two senior-most officials Paramjeet Singh, Second Secretary, and C Jeykumar Doss, Head of Chancery at the office of the High Commission.
Mr Pardeshi expressed satisfaction on starting the process of collection of data of stranded Indians in NZ much before the government of India actually arrived on a decision of beginning its stranded citizens from overseas and was amongst the first missions to send actual numbers to the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
“We have received expressions of interest from more than 2000 Indians for returning home in the government-assisted repatriation flights,” Mr Pardeshi said.
“While the majority of them are tourists and social visitors who have arrived in the country in January-February and were scheduled to return back late March or early April, but we have also registered some interest of people who were temporarily residing in the country on different visa categories (work visas) who have lost their jobs and are not hopeful of getting their visas extended keen to return home on govt assisted flights,” Mr Pardeshi said.
The High Commissioner also expressed satisfaction and thanked the NZ government for acting early and compassionately in extending temporary visas of many Indian citizens who were stranded at the onset of global travel restrictions owing to Covid-19 global pandemic.
More than 100,000$ spent on supporting Indian citizens in distress
Mr Pardeshi informed the media, though in a subdued manner, that his office and the office of the Consulate of India in Auckland had spent more than $100k in providing help and support to the Indian citizens, students, and work visa holders in distress as and when required.
“It is not a time to tell the numbers, but it is just to reiterate that we are there to help,” Mr Pardeshi said.
Expressing satisfaction and gratitude to Hon Consul Bhav Dhillon for leading the High Commission's endeavour of helping Indian people in distress Mr Pardeshi said, “We are thankful to Mr Dhillon for leading the relief mission in Auckland and up north where a majority of our Indian diaspora resides.”
Joining from Auckland on Webex, Mr Dhillion reiterated the High Commission's message and said, “Our doors, both office’s and our hearts are always open for the Indians in distress.”
Meanwhile, the High Commissioner also briefed the Standard Operation Procedure (SOPs) for the Indians stranded in NZ keen to return home ranging from downloading in the Ministry of Ayush’s Arogya app and getting mandatory testing done prior to departure to India.
Notably, the Indian Weekender had earlier reported on the mandatory actions needed from Indians stranded in New Zealand for the eligibility of being accepted in India.
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