Tamil Nadu

House keys given to coastal residents

VILLUPURAM: Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy on Saturday handed over the keys of 99 permanent houses built at the cost of Rs. 2.34 crore by the State government for the tsunami victims at Koonimedukuppam near Marakkanam.

He also gave away cheque for the rent paid by the affected people for their accommodation till the permanent houses were allotted to them.

Mr. Ponmudy said the government had entrusted the construction of 200 houses at Koonimedukuppam to a non-governmental organisation. However, the NGO had built only 110 units.

Therefore, the government had taken up the construction of the remaining units under the Rajiv Gandhi Rehabilitation Package. Each unit had been built at an estimated cost of Rs. 2.50 lakh.

During the construction period, the victims had to stay in rented accommodation. Therefore, as a gesture, the government had agreed to reimburse the rent at the rate of Rs. 500 a month to a maximum of Rs. 6,000 for one year.

The government had speeded up the construction process in other affected areas as well, Mr. Ponmudy said.

Out of 24 welfare boards formed for the benefit of unorganised sector, one was meant for fishermen.

He called upon the fishermen to become members of the welfare board by paying Rs. 10 as annual membership fee before October 10. If death occurred during fishing or fishermen were de-capacitated, they would get a compensation of Rs. 1 lakh each. They would also be entitled to assistance for education of their wards and old age pension.

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