Bhubaneswar, May 2 (IANS): Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, here on Saturday, took up the safe return of Odia migrants with B.S. Yediyurappa and Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, his counterparts in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, respectively.

Patnaik interacted with them separately through video link. Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan attended it from New Delhi.

While thanking them for taking care of Odia migrants, the Chief Minister requested their cooperation for their safe return.

Pradhan requested the Karnataka and the Andhra Pradesh governments to ensure that those wanted to return registered with online portal developed by the Odisha government.

Yediyurappa and Jaganmohan Reddy said all steps would be initiated to take care of the Odia migrant labourers.

The Odisha government is expecting return of around 5 lakh migrants from other states.

Odisha's Covid-19 cases increased to 156 as seven people with recent travel history to West Bengal tested positive on Saturday.