New Delhi, March 21 (IANS) Around 22,500 Indian nationals have returned from Ukraine to India from February 1 to March 11, the Parliament was informed on Monday.
"(A total of) 90 evacuation flights were operated under 'Operation Ganga' including 14 Indian Air Force flights," Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Gen V.K. Singh (retd) told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply.
He said that the government had coordinated with the Indian carriers for the operation of evacuation flights.
"The government has coordinated with six private airlines... for evacuation of Indian nationals from countries adjoining Ukraine viz. Romania, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia under Operation Ganga.
"Air India and Air India Express together have operated 23 evacuation flights under Operation Ganga," he said, adding that the air fare for all the flights operated under 'Operation Ganga' has been borne by the Centre.
On I-Day eve, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking exclusively to IANS just days after his government's decision on Article 370 noted how he was troubled and saddened by the fact that the 73rd Amendment to the Constitution pertaining to Panchayati Raj institutions did not apply to Jammu and Kashmir.
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik justified restrictions imposed in the Valley saying on Wednesday that they were "necessary" to prevent civilian casualties.
The former Union Minister also slammed Shashi Tharoor for his statement that praising the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for doing the right things would lend credibility to the opposition’s criticism of him.
