VELLORE: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday inaugurated 1,591 houses for Sri Lankan Tamil refugees across 13 districts. The houses which have been constructed at a cost of `79.70 crore, were inaugurated through video conference.
The official opening of the houses in Vellore was held at the Melmonavur Sri Lankan Tamil refugee camp.
Stalin handed over keys to 220 houses to refugees within the camp. According to sources, the construction cost of this phase in Vellore amounts to `11 crore. Stalin interacted with Sri Lankan Tamil community during his visit and encouraged them to maintain their new houses in the camp.
In an announcement in the Assembly last year, Stalin had said that 7,469 worn-out houses across 104 Sri Lankan Tamil rehabilitation camps spread throughout 29 districts would be rebuilt. Following the announcement, construction of 3,510 houses began, out of which 1,591 have been completed as part of phase 1 of the project.
Stalin also declared open new houses in 12 other districts, including Tiruvannamalai, Tiruchy, Coimbatore, Erode, Salem, Virudhunagar and Sivaganga through video conference and spoke to the beneficiaries of the housing scheme.