CHENNAI: As many as 9,742 Tamils who have returned from Sri Lanka to Tamil Nadu as per the 1964 Sirimavo-Shastri Pact, will be getting back their land documents pledged for getting housing loans a few decades ago. Chief Minister MK Stalin commenced the process of returning these documents on March 8 and three persons received their land documents in person from him at the secretariat.
“As per the Sirimavo-Shastri agreement, around five lakh Tamils who were working in plantations in Sri Lanka returned to Tamil Nadu during between 1966 and 1984. The then CM, M Karunanidhi, implemented various schemes to rehabilitate them and Rs 5,000 was given per family for engaging in small trade. Besides, housing loans ranging from Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000 were given to each family and to avail this loan, they pledged their land documents to the government,” an official release said.
Since they could not repay the loans, the government came forward to waive the residue of housing and commercial loans availed of between April 1, 1974, and 1999. Meanwhile, the Tamils who have returned to the state as per the 1964 agreement have been requesting the government to return their land documents. As per the instructions from the CM, now, the process for returning their documents has begun. With these documents, they can change patta, avail loans, become members of REPCO Bank and avail themselves benefits from other schemes.
Meanwhile, Stalin inaugurated a scheme to provide 500 LPG iron boxes to the needy by the Indian Oil Corporation Limited at a total cost of Rs 29.93 lakh. At the secretariat, five beneficiaries received the LPG iron boxes from Stalin. He also inaugurated a new building constructed at a cost of Rs 14.85 crore for the Tamil Nadu Dr J Jayalalithaa Music and Fine Arts University. The CM also presented awards to the sericulture farmers, automatic silk reelers and multi-end silk reelers at the secretariat. In all, 12 sericulture farmers received `9 lakh from the CM.