UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 01 NEW DE 16101 040817Z
17
ACTION NEA-10
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 PM-04 H-02 INR-07 L-03
NSAE-00 NSC-05 PA-02 PRS-01 SP-02 SS-15 USIA-15 DHA-02
ORM-02 IO-13 OMB-01 AID-05 EB-07 /097 W
--------------------- 088644
R 040606Z NOV 76
FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9336
AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
UNCLAS NEW DELHI 16101
E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS:SREF,IN,CE
SUBJECT: COMMENTS BY GOI MINISTER ON PROGRAMS FOR RESETTLEMENT
OF REPATRIATES FROM SRI LANKA
FOLLOWING SENT ACTION NEW DELHI INFO BOMBAY CALCUTTA DT NOV2,
1976 FROM MADRAS IS REPEATED TO YOU:
QUOTE
MADRAS 1944
E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: SREF, IN, CE
SUBJECT: COMMENTS BY GOI MINISTER ON PROGRAMS FOR
RESETTLEMENT OF REPATRIATES FROM SRI LANKA
1. SUMMARY. GOI MINISTER R.N. MIRDHA TOLD LOCAL
NEWSMEN THAT 240,000 REPATRIATES FROM SRI LANKA HAVE ALREADY
ARRIVED IN INDIA AND AN ADDITIONAL 700,000 ARE EXPECTED
IN THE NEXT SEVEN YEARS. ABOUT HALF THE REPATRIATES HAVE BEEN
RESETTLED SO FAR, MOSTLY IN THE SOUTHERN STATES AT A COST
OF RS.220 MILLION. TO COPE WITH THE INCREASED ARRIVALS,
THE PRIME MINISTER HAS DECIDED THAT RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMS
ARE TO BE EXTENDED TO OTHER STATES. A SPECIAL STUDY GROUP
HAS BEEN APPOINTED FOR THE PURPOSE. THE GOI, IN ADDITION,
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 02 NEW DE 16101 040817Z
TO LOANS TO INDIVIDUAL REPATRIATES, IS ALSO READY TO GIVE
LOANS TO STATE GOVERNMENTS AND INDUSTRIAL UNITS TO FINANCE
SCHEMES FOR EMPLOYING REPATRIATES. END SUMMARY.
2. THE GOI MINISTER FOR REHABILITATION AND SUPPLY,
R.N. MIRDHA, MADE THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS WHILE
ADDRESSING A PRESS CONFERENCE IN MADRAS ON OCTOBER 31
ABOUT THE PROGRESS OF REPATRIATION AND PROGRAMS FOR
RESETTLEMENT OF PEOPLE OF INDIAN ORIGIN FROM SRI LANKA.
3. THE INDO-SRI LANKA AGREEMENTS OF 1964 AND 1974 PROVIDE
FOR REPATRIATION OF 600,000 PEOPLE OF INDIAN ORIGIN,
AND THE NATURAL INCREASE IN THEIR NUMBER, TO INDIA. SO
FAR, 56,000 FAMILIES TOTALLING 240,000 PERSONS HAVE ARRIVED.
ABOUT 27,000 OF THESE FAMILIES HAVE BEEN RESETTLED UNDER
VARIOUS SCHEMES, MOSTLY IN TAMIL NADU AND PARTLY IN THE
OTHER SOUTHERN STATES OF ANDHRA PRADESH, KARNATAKA AND
KERALA. ABOUT RS.220 MILLION HAS ALREADY BEEN SPENT ON
THESE SCHEMES. DURING THE NEXT SEVEN YEARS, 700,000 MORE
REPATRIATES ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE IN INDIA. REPATRIATES
ARE NOW TEMPORARILY ACCOMMODATED AT THE TRANSIT CAMP.
AT MANDAPAM IN RAMANATHAPURAM DISTRICT OF TAMIL NADU WHICH
CAN HOUSE 600 FAMILIES. AS 80 TO 90 PERCENTOF THE ARRIVALS
NEED ACCOMMODATION IN TRANSIT CAMPS, A NEW TRANSIT CAMP
TO HOUSE 400 FAMILIES IS BEING ESTABLISHED AT KOTAPATTH
VILLAGE NEAR TIRUCHIRAPALLI IN TAMIL NADU. IN ADDITION,
AS A TEMPORARY MEASURE, THE TRANSIT CAMP AT GUMMIDIPOONDI,
NEAR MADRAS, ESTABLISHED FOR REPATRIATES FROM BURMA, IS
ALSO BEING USED TO HOUSE REPATRIATES BEFORE THEY RESETTLED.
4. RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMS ARE NOW MOSTLY LIMITED TO THE FOUR
SOUTHERN STATES. THESE WILL BE INSUFFICIENT TO COPE WITH THE
ANTICIPATED INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF REPATRIATES.THE
PRIME MINISTER HAS THEREFORE DECIDED THAT VARIOUS DEVELOPMENT
SCHEMES OF THE GOI AND OTHER STATES IN INDIA SHOULD ALSO BE
USED FOR ASSISTING IN THE RESETTLEMENT OF THESE REPATRIATES.
THE GOI HAS ESTABLISHED A STUDY GROUP TO IDENTIFY
SUITABLE SCHEMES. THIS GROUP WILL ALSO ASSESS THE VOCATIONAL
APTITUDES OF THE REPATRIATES AND DEVELOP SUITABLE TRAINING
SCHEMES. THE INDIAN HIGH COMMISSION'S REHABILITATION CELL
AT KANDY,IN SRI LANKA,HAS BEEN ASKED TO IDENTIFY MEMBERS
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 03 NEW DE 16101 040817Z
OF FAMILIES TO BE REPATRIATED WHO CAN BE TRAINED AND
EMPLOYED PRIOR TO THE ARRIVAL OF OTHER MEMBERS OF SUCH
FAMILIES. THE GOI WILL BEAR THE COST OF SUCH TRAINING.
5. THE NATIONAL TEXTILE CORPORATION HAS OFFERED TO
GIVE RETAIL DEALERSHIPS TO 500 REPATRIATES. THE GOI
REHABILITATION DEPARTMENT HAS APPROVED A SCHEME FOR THE
EXPENSION OF 10 COOPERATIVE SPINNING MILLS IN TAMIL
NADU. UNDER THE SCHEME, THE GOI WILL LOAN MONEY TO THE
TOTN WHICH IN TURN WILL LOAN RS.15,000 TO EACH OF 1,000
REPATRIATE FAMILIES FOR INVESTMENT IN THE COOPERATIVE SPINNING
MILLS. THE RUBBER PLANTATION PROJECT IN KANYAKUMARI IS TO BE
ENLARGED BY 800 HECTARES TO EMPLOY 333 MORE REPATRIATE FAMILIES.
THE GOI HAS ALSO APPROVED A RS.48 MILLION PROJECT OF THE
TAMIL NADU STATE FARMS CORPORATION TO EMPLOY 1,300 REPATRIATE
FAMILIES. THE GOI WILL LOAN RS. 8. MILLION TO THE GOTN TO BE
USED FOR EQUITY INVESTMENT IN THIS PROJECT. THE REMAINING
RS.40 MILLION IS TO BE LOANED BY COMMERCIAL BANKS UNDER THE
REFINANCE SCHEME OF THE AGRICULTURAL REFINANCE AND
DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. IF ANY PRIVATE SECTOR ORGANIZATION
OFFERS TO PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT TO REPATRIATES, THE GOI
IS PREPARED TO GIVE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO SUCH UNITS
AT THE RATE OF RS. 10,000 TO RS.15,000 PER REPATRIATE
EMPLOYED. THE GOI WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE FUNDS TO MAKE
LOANS TO REPATRIOTES TO ENTER INTO RETAIL TRADE. THE
AMOUNT OF THE FIRST INCREMENT OF SUCH LOANS HAS BEEN
INCREASED FROM RS. 2,000 TO RS.3,000. THE REPATRIATES CAN
CONTINUE TO GET MAINTENANCE ASSISTANCE FOR THREE MONTHS
FROM THE DATE OF DISBURSEMENT OF THE FIRST INCREMENT OF
THE LOAN SIGNED SCOTT
UNQUOTESAXBE
UNCLASSIFIED
NNN