Jayalalithaa makes room for refugee kids

CHENNAI: Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Friday announced that wards of  Sri Lankan refugees will be accommodated in hostels meant for backward classes in Tamil Nadu.According to a statement, she took the decision after coming to know about the plight of school and college students from 21,000 refugee families housed in various camps across Tamil Nadu.  Five additional occupancies each will be created in all 1,294 Adi-Dravida and SC/ST Hostels for girls/boys working out to a total of 6,470 new occupancies. The same will be adhered to in all 1,238 Backward and Most Backward Class Hostels for girls/boys, creating 6,190 occupancies, the statement added. The drive would benefit as many as 12,660 students who are wards of Sri Lankan refugees enrolled for education either in schools or colleges. The initiative would entail an  cost an additional burden of  Rs 4.4 crore per annum for the state government, the statement pointed out.Solatium to kin of transport staffThe Chief Minister also offered financial aid to the families of the deceased State transport workers and Armed Reserve Police personnel who died in different accidents.The families of Henry and Thirumalai, a bus driver and conductor, who were killed in a road mishap on December 8, will be awarded a solatium of Rs 1 lakh from the Chief Minister Relief Fund. Driver Amirthasamy who was injured in the same accident will be given Rs 25,000. A solatium of Rs 2 Lakh will be given to the family of S Easwaran, an Armed Reserve Policeman, Thiruvannamalai AR, who was electrocuted on November 16 while he was on duty and succumbed to the injuries on December 12.Jayalalithaa said she was grieved and extended her condolences to the bereaved families.