Highly placed government sources revealed to DT Next that Chief Minister MK Stalin would launch the scheme for constructing 3,500 houses for Sri Lankan Tamil refugees staying in refugee camps in the first week of November. 

Stalin had announced in the last budget session that about 7,469 dilapidated houses in the refugee camps would be reconstructed at a cost of Rs 231.54 crore (3,510 houses at Rs 108 crore in the first phase). The welfare schemes set to be launched during Deepavali would also include the distribution of five varieties of utensils from Salem Steel Plant and Cooptex dresses to all refugee family members. 

One of the pioneering strategies would be the distribution of free LPG cylinders to the 18,000 Lankan Tamil families living in and outside the camps. 

“We will collect details of those living outside the camps from police authorities and deliver it to them,” said a government official on condition of anonymity. 

The government has proposed to provide free cylinder and gas stove with Rs 400 subsidy per cylinder for five cylinders per family in a year. 

The Chief Minister would also increase the scholarship sum for Sri Lankan Tamil youths pursuing higher education besides funding the top 50 engineering aspirants among Sri Lankan Tamil youths. 

“On an average, 40 to 50 youths among them have applied for engineering courses every year so far. Hence, we have fixed the ceiling at 50 students per year,” the officer reasoned.