Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin opens 321 houses for Sri Lankan Tamil refugees

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin on Wednesday inaugurated 321 newly constructed houses for Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in a rehabilitation camp in Dindigul district. The group houses have been constructed at a cost of 17.2 crore. The CM inaugurated the houses virtually from the secretariat. The construction of the houses was taken up as part of the first phase of the project to ensure safe and dignified life to the Lankan Tamils living in the state.
Stalin, on August 27 last year, had announced welfare schemes to the tune of 317.4 crore to improve the living condition of Sri Lankan Tamils in the refugee camps in the state. As part of the project, the government decided to construct 7,469 houses in refugee camps at 231.5 crore. The government decided to construct 3,510 houses in the first phase of the project at 108 crore before the end of the current fiscal. Since 1983, a total of 3,04,269 Lankan Tamils have reached Tamil Nadu. Among them, 58,822 are living in 108 camps in 29 districts. They escaped from the war-torn island nation and sought refuge in the state to ensure safety of their children and women.
"The construction activity commenced a month ago in our camp. At present, they have started construction of 220 houses in the camp where more than 320 families are living," said Seemanpillai Alexander, a refugee in Melmanavur camp in Vellore district.