3,500 houses coming up for Sri Lankan refugees: Minister

COIMBATORE: Works are underway to construct 3,500 houses for Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in the state, said Gingee KS Masthan, Minister for Minorities and Non Resident Tamils Welfare.

Speaking to reporters, after inspecting the ongoing works to construct 400 houses of 290 sq ft each at a total cost estimate of Rs 20 crore for Sri Lankan Tamils in Bhavani Sagar area in Erode on Tuesday, Masthan said the government has made an announcement in the Assembly to construct 7,000 houses for Sri Lankan refugees at Rs 3,017 crore. “Of this, works are underway to construct 3,500 houses in the first phase,” he said.

Asking overseas job aspirants to be vigilant of fraudulent agents, the Minister said the state government has taken efforts to impart training and send 500 nurses to England.

“Job aspirants shouldn’t get faked by fraudulent firms and approach the government recognised ones to go abroad for work. Two fake job agents were detained under the Goondas Act,” he added.

Earlier, while participating in a Christmas function in a church, Masthan said that churches and schools laid the foundation for the Dravidian movement by providing education to downtrodden sections of the society.