New Delhi, Jul 2 (PTI) Over 4.75 lakh Indians have returned to India from abroad after the government launched the Vande Bharat Mission on May 7 in view of the coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.

The Vande Bharat Mission entered its fourth phase from Thursday onwards.

Also Read | Karnataka Government Issues Guidelines for Isolation of COVID-19 Patients at Home: Live News Breaking & Coronavirus Updates on July 2, 2020.

Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, "As on July 1, against a total number of 5,83,109 people who registered their requests with our missions abroad for repatriation to India, over 4,75,000 have returned under this mission."

This number includes more than 90,000 Indians who have returned through land border immigration checkpoints from Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, he said.

Also Read | Health Ministry Issues Revised Guidelines For Home Isolation of Mildly Symptomatic and Asymptomatic COVID-19 Patients.

The list of flights that will be part of the fourth phase of the mission are available on the ministry's website and are being updated regularly, Srivastava said.

"Under Phase-IV of the Vande Bharat Mission, we will be operating more than 500 flights. This includes both Air India and private carriers who are ramping up their operations in a big way," he said.

Asked about the H1-B visa issue, the MEA spokesperson said, "The people to people linkages and the trade and economic cooperation, especially in the technology and innovation sectors, is an important dimension of the US-india partnership."

"It is in this context that we have taken up this issue with the US side and we remain engaged with them," Srivastava said.

On June 23, in a huge blow to Indian IT professionals eyeing the US job market, the Trump administration suspended the H-1B visas along with other types of foreign work visas until the end of 2020 to protect American workers in a crucial election year. PTI ASK KJ KJ KJ 07022258 NNNNegation could see the price of its virtual asset go down.

Another batch of Barcelona tokens will be put on sale on Wednesday, with the price still to be determined. Owners can sell and trade their tokens using Chiliz, one of the many cryptocurrencies based on blockchain technology.

For now, most clubs are highlighting “fan engagement” as the main advantage of their blockchain-based fan tokens.

“For the biggest clubs in the world, 99.9% of sports fans are not actually in the stadiums, or even in the same city or country of the club that they are supporting,” Dreyfus told The Associated Press.

“There is a lack of engagement and monetization towards this global fan base,” he added.

“All these fans have no significant way to have a voice and have an influence. By owning one of these fan tokens, suddenly you are being recognized, and more importantly, you have a voice and a right to vote on a decision that the club is asking you.”

Barcelona said the fan tokens are part of the club's world-wide expansion strategy as it looks for new digital channels and formats to generate greater engagement with its international fan base. They have been incorporated as the club tries to develop “new streams for the generation of resources” and to become a “benchmark both on and off the field.”

The first survey in which Barcelona token owners can vote on is related to the artwork of a mural that will decorate the dressing room at the Camp Nou.

Juventus was the first club to launch its fan tokens about six months ago, with its supporters choosing the celebration song that is now played when the team scores a goal.

The first PSG poll in February allowed fans to choose an inspirational message to go on the captain's armband, and Galatasaray's supporters picked the song played when the team enters the field. Roma fans voted on the name of a field at the club's training center, and Atlético Madrid's supporters chose player Álvaro Morata to give exclusive insight into the club's daily life.

The tokens became a more significant engagement tool during the coronavirus pandemic. PSG players Edison Cavani and Thiago Silva sent personal messages to fans, and Galatasaray token owners gained life-sized cardboard photos of themselves in the team's stadium.

“The pandemic forced the clubs to look at the other 99% of fans that can generate revenue,” Dreyfus said.

“It forced them to reconsider and to try to monetize their global fan base.”

Other blockchain-based actions making their way into soccer include officially licensed digital cards of players, which can be used in virtual fantasy games. Platform Sorare has deals with several clubs and leagues, including the Serie A. It said it has more than 1,800 officially licensed soccer players on the platform, with 3,000 active users who generated about $200,000 in sales in May.

Portuguese club Benfica last year was a pioneer in allowing the use of cryptocurrencies for the purchase of tickets and merchandising. Some clubs also resorted to blockchain to track the authenticity of some of their official products. There were announcements of clubs possibly using cryptocurrencies for salaries and other payments, though nothing has materialized so far. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)