News

TN CM Stalin inaugurates distribution of free houses to SL Tamils

Published

8 months ago

September 18, 2023

editor

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on September 17 virtually inaugurated the distribution of free houses to 1,591 Sri Lankan Tamils in the State in the first phase of the free housing scheme at a function the Sri Lankan Rehabilitation Camp in Melmanavoor village in Vellore.

Accompanied by senior ministers including Duraimurugan and I. Periyasamy, Ministers for Water Resources and Rural Development respectively, Mr. Stalin gave keys of the new houses to five beneficiaries at the rehabilitation camp in Vellore on Sunday as a mark of the event.

He also spoke to beneficiaries including one Sri Lankan Tamil from Salem district through videoconferencing, inquiring about her experience in moving into a new free house provided by the State government. “Now, you [beneficiaries] have got your new house. However, you all should take care of your new house well. That is important,” he told her.

Beneficiaries from 19 rehabilitation camps in 13 districts were visibly happy when they shared their experiences virtually to Mr. Stalin on how they spent many sleepless nights under damaged roofed-houses all these years and how they are happy that they are moving into well-lit concrete-roofed houses. During his interaction with the beneficiaries, Mr. Stalin also asked about their family, especially children, what they study and how many years they stay in the camp.

At present, 19,498 Sri Lankan Tamil families are residing at 104 rehabilitation camps in 29 districts in the State. Under the free housing scheme for Sri Lankan Tamils, 7,469 houses will be built at a cost of ₹342 crore by the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) in phases.

In the first phase of the scheme, 3,510 houses at a cost of ₹176.02 crore were built. The first phase of the scheme was launched by Mr. Stalin at a function in Vellore in November 2021. The beneficiaries are residents in 35 camps, covering 20 districts in the State.

Of 3,510 houses in the first phase, 1,591 houses that were built at a cost ₹79.70 crore and were handed over to beneficiaries in 19 camps of 13 districts on Sunday. Among the beneficiaries in the first phase on Sunday, Erode topped with 420 houses (₹21 crore), followed by Vellore (220 houses; ₹11 crore) and Salem (109 houses; ₹13.22 crore).

Under the project, each house, which is 300 sq.ft, has a living room, bedroom with attached washroom and a kitchen. The new house also has free water connection and power supply. In addition, Over Head Tanks (OHTs) are also built in the camps. Each house costs ₹5.85 lakh for the State exchequer. Each camp also gets a community centre, a common children centre for reading and tuition purposes and a fair price shop.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Stalin paid floral tributes to the statue of Periyar E.V. Ramasamy, founder of Dravidian movement, in Vellore town to mark his 145th birth anniversary celebrations.

(thehindu.com)

News

Fire breaks out in workers’ living quarters near Colombo Port

Published

30 mins ago

May 19, 2024

editor

A fire has reportedly broken out in the living quarters of highway access road workers near the Colombo Port.

The Colombo Fire Brigade said it has dispatched four fire trucks to assist in extinguishing the flames.

News

President Wickremesinghe meets Elon Musk to discuss starlink implementation in Sri Lanka

Published

36 mins ago

May 19, 2024

editor

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has met with billionaire and investor Elon Musk on the sidelines of the 10th World Water Forum High-Level Meeting being held in Indonesia.

During the meeting, Wickremesinghe and Musk discussed the implementation of ‘Starlink’ in Sri Lanka.

It was emphasized that Sri Lanka is committed to expediting the application process to connect the country to the global Starlink network, according to the President’s Media Division (PMD).

Minister Jeevan Thondaman, accompanying the President on his two-day visit to Indonesia, tweeted: “President and Elon discussed Sri Lanka’s recovery, economic potential, and new opportunities for investment. Great to have two visionary leaders come together for Sri Lanka.”

Elon Musk arrived in Indonesia’s resort island of Bali on Sunday to launch Starlink satellite internet service in the world’s largest archipelago nation.

The billionaire head of Tesla and SpaceX, and owner of social platform X, arrived by private jet on the idyllic “island of the gods,” renowned for its tropical beaches, terraced rice paddies, mystical temples, and colorful spiritual offerings.

Musk is slated to launch the service alongside Indonesian President Joko Widodo in a ceremony later Sunday at a public health clinic in Denpasar, the provincial capital of Bali.

Musk will also sign an agreement to enhance connectivity in the country’s health and education sectors.

During his first in-person visit to Bali, Musk is also scheduled to participate in the 10th World Water Forum, which seeks to address global water and sanitation challenges.

–With agencies inputs

News

Senior diplomat to oversee Sri Lankan embassy in Russia

Published

11 hours ago

May 19, 2024

nipuni

It is reported that the government has planned to send a senior officer of the foreign service to the Sri Lankan embassy in Russia until a new ambassador is appointed due to the lack of an ambassador.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Taraka Balasuriya has told the media that the absence of an ambassador is just a gap in the work procedure, and based on the current situation in Russia, a senior official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be directed to supervise its affairs.

He emphasized that a retired foreign service senior is being sent and the lack of an ambassador is not a major problem.

The Minister further stated that there is already a senior Foreign Service officer there, and given the urgent need, a very senior Foreign Service officer is being sent not because the officer currently in Russia is inadequate.

Mr. Balasuriya has stressed that this is being done to strengthen the operation and that the work will be done according to the normal protocol.

However, even though an ambassador has been appointed to Russia, Mr. Balasuriya has made arrangements not to reveal who it is to the media.

The former Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation, Prof. Janitha A. Liyanage, was given three extensions, and she ended her service at the Sri Lankan Embassy in Moscow on April 29.

At present, Counsellor Ruvini K. Munidasa serves as the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy.