7,000 more houses to be built for tsunami-hit in Pondy

Puducherry, Apr 10 (UNI) The Puducherry adminsitration is taking steps for the construction of another 7,000 houses for the tsunami affected fishermen in the Union Territory, Chief Minister N Rangasamy told the Territorial Assembly today.

Replying to a question, he said the Planning Commission had given permission to obtain loan from the World Bank for the purpose and the latter had been approached for a loan of Rs 270 crore. Once the loan amount was received, houses would be constructed 500 m away from the sea shore, he added.

Replying to another question, Education Minister M O H F Shajahan said the administration proposed to constitute a committee including Legislators to streamline the Kamaraj Education scheme, under which the tuition fees of students selected for professional courses would be reimbursed.

He said the amount reimbursed rose from Rs 348 lakh in 2004-05 to Rs 1,657 lakh in 2007-08. As per the scheme, the Government would bear 100 per cent of the tuition fees for those students whose parents have an annual income of up to Rs three lakh, 75 per cent for those from Rs three lakh to Rs five lakh and there was no income ceiling for SC/ST/OBC students. As many as 2,814 students have been benefitted by the scheme so far, he added.

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