Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2012-01-05

Issuance of Passports to the Sri Lanka Refugees who have sought refuge in the areas of Tamil Nadu in India, without levying charges when they return to Sri Lanka

- on the initiative of H.E. the president in his capacity as the Minister of Defence and Urban Development, steps are being taken to re-settle in their own villages about 90,000 Sri Lankan Tamils living in refugee camps and residencies privately sought by them in Tamil Nadu due to LTTE terrorist activities which prevailed during the last 3 decades. In terms of the provisions of the Immigration and Emigration Act, they should have a valid passport to land in Sri Lanka. The proposal made by H.E. the President to authorize the Deputy High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in Chennai to issue passports without levying a fee of Rs.4,400/- to these refugees who are to return to Sri Lanka, was approved by the Cabinet.