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State bid to bring back stranded patients

By STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, April 29 - The Assam government is communicating with the Central government to make arrangements for facilitating the patients stranded outside the State to return home.

�We have been consulting with the Central government and a written representation has been also submitted to the Civil Aviation Ministry. Besides, we are also talking to the airlines. We hope we will be able to come up with something to bring back the patients who are stranded outside,� Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, admitting that the patients cannot stay stranded for too long.

The State government has so far disbursed Rs 25,000 each to 850 patients stranded outside the State. They are stranded at places like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Vellore, Delhi and Chennai.

The government is also planning to allow people from the State stranded in other northeastern states to return home. �We hope to come up with a plan by tomorrow or day after,� Sarma said.

Since April 25, the deputy commissioners have issued passes to 48,770 people who own vehicles for a journey within the State. Another, 50,626 applications are under consideration.

The ASTC has transported around 20,300 passengers in 1,200 buses during the relaxation announced by the government for inter-district travel.

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