TN govt allocates Rs 12 crore for Sri Lankan refugee camps

Chennai, Nov 2 (PTI) Tamil Nadu government Monday
allocated Rs 12 crore for developing infrastructure in Sri
Lankan refugee camps in the southern state.
The decision was taken in a meeting convened by state
Chief Minister Karunanidhi, following reports about the plight
of Sri Lankan Tamils, staying in 115 camps across 26
districts.
"The Chief Minister has directed the ministers and
collectors to submit the report by November 10, following
which Rs 12 crore will be used accordingly," Backward classes
welfare minister K K S S R Ramachandran said.
More than 73,000 Sri Lankan Tamils are staying in
government run camps, while about 31,000 of them are staying
outside camps with government permission in the state.
Ramachandran said a similar exercise of ministers being
asked to visit camps and submit report was undertaken in 2006
after Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK) came to power,
following which a proposal for Rs 16 crore was prepared and
sent to the Indian government for approval.
"However, it is still under consideration. Therefore the
state had allocated Rs five crore towards welfare of Lankan
Tamils in the camp this year. The amount of Rs 12 crore was
allocated besides the earlier amount," he said. PTI