State Ministers laid foundation stone for permanent houses for Sri Lankan Tamils at Thottanoothu, to be built at a cost of ₹17.17 crore, and distributed assistance worth ₹90 lakh to them on Friday.
Minister for Cooperation I. Periyasamy Minister for Food A. Sakkarapani and Minister for Minorities and Non-Resident Tamils Welfare K. S. Masthan, along with Dindigul Collector S. Visakan, laid the foundation for the new camp.
Mr. Periyasamy said that former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi initiated various welfare schemes for the Sri Lankan Tamils. Now Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has ordered completion of the construction of the new camp within 120 days.
Mr. Sakkarapani said that the Chief Minister was taking steps to get Indian citizenship for Sri Lankan Tamils who had been living here for more than 40 years. The permanent dwellings for the inmates of the three rehabilitation camps in the district would be constructed soon, he said.
Mr. Masthan said that permanent houses, education for children and employment opportunities had been promised by the Chief Minister. Out of the 7,469 dwellings in the camps in the State, the government would construct 3,510 new houses in the first phase at a cost of ₹317 crore.
A total of 321 houses would be constructed for the inmates of three camps in Thottanoothu, Adiyanoothu and Gopalpatti.
MLA I.P. Senthilkumar, District Revenue Officer V. Latha and Additional Collector (District Rural Development Agency) C. Dinesh Kumar, Tamil Nadu Board Chief Executive Officer Farida Banu were among those who were present.
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