The State government continues to wait for the Centre’s decision on the issue of according the status of refugees to those who have come illegally from Sri Lanka to Tamil Nadu, seeking asylum.
Only if the Centre gives its nod, the illegal migrants can be treated as refugees, after which they will become eligible to receive any dole in cash. In the last 10 years, the Union government has not given the status of refugee to anyone who comes from Sri Lanka. With the arrival of 18 persons in Dhanushkodi on Friday, the number of asylum seekers has gone up to 60.
As per the announcement of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in August last year, the monthly cash dole to the head of the family, living at rehabilitation camps, had been increased to ₹1,500 from ₹1,000. For other adults, the enhanced dole is ₹1,000 (against the previous ₹750) and for the children, ₹500 (₹400).
