Bhubaneswar, Apr 30 (IANS): Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday discussed with his Tamil Nadu counterpart Edappadi K. Palaniswami the safe return of Odia people stranded due to nationwide lockdown.

In a video conferencing, Patnaik requested his Tamil Nadu counterpart to extend support for the safe return of the Odisha residents.

Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan joined the video-conferencing from New Delhi.

The Odisha Chief Minister also thanked Palaniswami for taking good care of the people staying in Tamil Nadu.

Officials from both the states will coordinate for the return of the people to the state.

Meanwhile, the first batch of 217 migrant workers, stranded in Gujarat's Surat, has returned to Ganjam district after undertaking nearly 60-hour bus journey.

Ganjam district collector Vijay Amruta Kulange said four buses carrying the migrant workers reached on Wednesday night.

They have been quarantined at a facility, he said.

Besides, some students stranded at Kota in Rajasthan have also started their journey to Odisha on Wednesday night, said an official.

The government has initiated the process to bring back around 975 Odia students stuck at Kota.

The state government is expecting return of over 5 lakh migrants, stranded at several places across the country, in the coming days.