(Sandhya Jha, Intern Journalist): The government has exempted the rules for those with four categories of Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders stranded abroad. This will make it easier for them to return to India. The Ministry of Home Affairs issued its notification on Friday. The OCI card is issued to people of Indian origin living abroad. This gives them permission to move without a visa. However, due to coronavirus, the government had recently tightened the rules for movement from abroad.

Relief to these 4 categories of OCI cardholders

1. Those who want to come to India with minor children, even if the children were born abroad.

2. Want to come due to an emergency like death of someone in the family.

3. One of the spouses has an OCI card and the other resides in India and has a permanent home here.

4. University students studying abroad whose parents are residing in India.

OCI cardholders appealed for relaxation of rules

The government is bringing stranded Indians abroad by sea ships and airplanes. However, due to a change in the lockdown rules, many OCI cardholders are unable to get tickets. There are some families in which the husband and wife got tickets, but the children were not allowed to come because the children were born abroad. Such people appealed to the government to give relaxation in the rules.