Basic amenities at all 113 Sri Lankan refugee camps in Tamil Nadu would be improved and all houses in dilapidated condition would be renovated, Rehabilitation commissioner M Kalaivanan said on Friday.
Speaking to reporters here, he said the Government was willing to allocate more funds to improve amenities, including shelter, if the first phase of allocation of Rs 100 crore was not enough.
He said all refugees would also be brought under the Chief Minister’s Life insurance scheme. Videographing of refugees for the purpose had been completed in all districts except Tiruvannamalai and Tuticorin and would soon be completed there also, he said.
Besides, free Colour TV sets had been given to 97 per cent of refugees. Free bus passes would be given to students of refugee camps also.
On education loans for refugee students for professional courses, he said the government was willing to consider it.
Mr. Kalaivanan said driving licences for refugees would be given if the camp Tahsildhar approved it. The system of weekly attendance had been dispensed with and the refugees needed to come to camp just once a month, he said.
Asked if the refugees would be asked to go back to Sri Lanka as the war in that country (between LTTE and army) was over, he said most did not want to do so.
On citizenship for refugees, he said the Tamil Nadu government had reminded the Centre to consider its recommendation in this regard. “But we cannot fix any time frame for this,” he said.
