Tamil Nadu govt to bear travel expenses of students returning from Ukraine: Stalin

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has announced that the state government will bear all the expenses related to the return of students from the state stranded in Ukraine, which is facing a Russian onslaught since February 24.

According to an official release on Friday, 916 students and emigrants from the state stranded in the eastern European country have so far contacted the officials appointed by the government at district and state levels besides in New Delhi, regarding evacuation.

“Under these circumstances, chief minister M K Stalin has announced that the Tamil Nadu government will bear all the travel expenses related to the Tamil Nadu students’ return to the country,” the release said.

The release further said Jacintha Lazarus, director of Rehabilitation and Welfare of Non Resident Tamils, could be contacted for this purpose.

The state government’s announcement comes a day after Stalin urged the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to operate special Vande Bharat mission flights to evacuate Tamil Nadu students and emigrants, numbering around 5,000, from Ukraine which is facing a military offensive from Russia.

Most students are studying professional courses in that country.

உக்ரைனில் சிக்கித் தவிக்கும் தமிழ்நாட்டைச் சார்ந்த மாணவர்கள் தாய்நாடு திரும்புவதற்கான பயணச் செலவை தமிழ்நாடு அரசே ஏற்றுக் கொள்ளும் என மாண்புமிகு முதலமைச்சர் @mkstalin அவர்கள் அறிவித்துள்ளார். pic.twitter.com/yTfMk0BQeu

— CMOTamilNadu (@CMOTamilnadu) February 25, 2022