Bhubaneswar, Mar 26 (IANS): Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here on Thursday requested his counterparts to help people from Odisha stranded in various parts of the country amid the Covid-19 lockdown.

Writing to the Chief Ministers, Patnaik urged them to provide the stranded people food, accommodation and security. The Odisha government would bear whatever was the cost of their safekeeping, he said.

"I will be grateful if this message is passed on to all the district collectors of your state.The Odisha government will bear whatever cost is needed for their safekeeping," said the Chief Minister.

Patnaik said he had asked all district collectors in Odisha to assist persons in need from other states. "The cost will be met from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund. We have put a monitoring team with the Principal Secretary of the Home Department to look after this and co-ordinate," he said.

"In case anyone from your state is stranded in Odisha and our system has not responded, kindly inform me directly. I'm always available," said the Chief Minister.