Tamil Nadu Government Announces Formation Of Non-Resident Tamils’ Welfare Board

Even though the Tamil Nadu Non-Resident Tamils’ Welfare Act was brought by the DMK government in 2011, the board was not constituted as per the act then

TN Chief Minister MK Stalin (File Picture)

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday announced the formation of Non-Resident Tamils’ Welfare Board along with a set of welfare measures for the non-resident Tamils living in other parts of the country and in foreign nations. 

According to a report in the Times of India, the board would have as many as 13 members representing the non-resident Tamils. Even though the Tamil Nadu Non-Resident Tamils’ Welfare Act was brought by the DMK government in 2011, the board was not constituted as per the act. 

Tamil Nadu is the mother land for the Tamils wherever they live and it is also the duty of the state to love and protect them, the Chief Minister said, announcing the formation of Tamil Nadu Non-Resident Tamils’ Welfare Fund with an initial corpus of Rs 5 crores. 

As per the report, more than seven lakh Tamils across the world had returned to the state following the Covid-19 pandemic and many of them have lost their jobs. So, the government has decided to extend a loan with a maximum subsidy of Rs 2.5 lakh for entrepreneurship. 

Quoting Stalin, the report said that the state government would create a database of Non-Resident Tamils and life and insurance schemes would be extended to the board members. In case of the deaths of Non-Resident Tamils belonging to low income groups, their wards would get financial assistance for their marriage and education. 

The Chief Minister also said that the state government would allocate a sum of Rs 20 crores for the welfare of the Non-Resident Tamils and it includes Rs 6.4 crore towards the board and welfare fund, Rs 8.1 crores towards the welfare schemes and Rs 5.5 crore towards the cultural exchange.