1. Public Department

POLICY NOTE - 2002-2003

DEMAND N0.37

The Public Department functions under the direct control of the Chief Secretary.  In other States, this department is usually known as the General Administration Department.  Some of the important subjects dealt with by the Public are:-

1. ·    Protocol work
2. ·    Welfare of Refugees and Repatriates
3. ·    Grant of Pension to Freedom Fighters and their dependents
4. ·    Welfare of Exservicemen and Administration of Exservicemen 
         Corporation 
5. ·    Administration of Government Guest Houses in New Delhi, 
        Chennai and Uthagamandalam
6. ·    Matters relating to Law and Order
7. ·     Matters relating to IAS officers and D.R.O.s
8. ·     Conduct of Elections
9. ·     Maintenance of buildings within Secretariat Campus
10. ·     Affairs of Inter-State and Southern Zonal Councils.

2. Besides the above, this department deals with matters relating to His Excellency, the Governor and the Council of Ministers and the Judges also. The Protocol wing looks after the visits of V.V.I.P.s like the President of India, the Prime Minister of India, Union Cabinet Minister, V.I.P.s from other States and Foreign dignitaries.  Another wing in the Public Department looks after the welfare of the Ex-Servicemen, war widows, families of the Ex-Servicemen as well as political pensioners, freedom fighters etc.  The Public department is also in-charge of the construction and maintenance of the Secretariat Building and its environs.  This department also liaises with the Defence Ministry on all matters of common interest between the State and the Central Government.  Establishment matters relating to the personal staff of the Council of Ministers are dealt with in this Department and also the provision of motor-vehicles, stationery, telephones and other office equipments to them. 

3. This department deals with the Establishment matters of the Human Rights Commission and other Commissions of Enquiry appointed under the Commission of Inquiry Act.1952.   Provision  of office chamber, furniture, telephone, car, maintenance of chamber, etc., are done to these dignitaries according to the norms prescribed.

REHABILITATION OF REFUGEES

Refugees:

4. Due to ethnic violence that erupted in Sri Lanka in 1983, there was a large exodus    of     Sri Lankan Tamil Refugees  seeking  asylum in  India and the influx of refugees into India continues till date.  In the mean time, on the basis of the consent expressed by the Sri Lankan refugees to return to their home land, two reverse flows of the Sri Lankan refugees, was arranged in 1987-91 and in 1992-95 and 1.93 lakhs refugees returned to Sri Lanka.  As on 31.3.2002, 16,960 families consisting of 63,951 refugees are accommodated in 111 refugee camps located all over Tamil Nadu, including the 3 special Camps. Hardcore militants and suspects among the refugees are sheltered in three Special Camps located at Chengalpattu, Vellore and Melur.  These refugees are provided with various relief measures as prescribed by the Government of India.  The entire expenditure on refugees stationed in these camps, is initially met by the State Government and then reimbursed by Government of India.

RELIEF AND REHABILITATION MEASURES EXTENDED TO REFUGEES

Cash doles:

5.  The refugees who are accommodated in various refugee camps in Tamil Nadu are given monthly cash doles at the following rates as approved by the Government of India.

            1. Head of family             ....  Rs.200/- p.m.

            2. Each additional member

                 12 years and above       ...  Rs.144/- p.m.

            3. First Child (less than

                12 years of age)             ...  Rs.90/- p.m.

            4. Each additional child        ... Rs.45/- p.m.

About Rs.11 crore is incurred annually towards cash doles to the refugees stationed in these camps.

Subsidised Rice:

6. Subsidised rice is supplied to the refugees accommodated in the refugee camps at Re.0.57 per kilogram at the following quantity per refugee, as per Government of India guidelines:

            1. Adult                 ...        400 grams per day

            2. Child

             (below 8 years)  ...         200 grams per day

Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation is supplying the rice through ration shops to the refugees stationed in the camps and getting the differential cost between the issue price and the procurement price from the Government.  About Rs.5.3 crores is incurred every year on account of the supply of subsidised rice.

Clothing materials:

7. Clothes, Mats, etc., are supplied free of cost to the refugee families staying in various camps every year at the scales prescribed by the Government of India. Blankets are also supplied free of cost to the camp refugees once in two years.  About Rs.2 croes is being incurred every year for supply of clothes to the camp refugees.

Utensils:

8. Five types of eight utensils   are supplied free of cost to all the refugee families accommodated in camps once in two years.  A sum of Rs.15 lakhs is being spent every alternate year on provision of utensils to the refugees.

Medical Assistance:

9. The refugees in the camps are provided with free medical facilities in Government Hospitals and Primary Health Centres situated near the camps.

Educational Opportunities:

10. The Government of Tamil Nadu is very generous in providing educational opportunities to the children of the refugees.  The children of the refugees are admitted in to schools without production of transfer cetificate from the schools last  studied  in Sri Lanka   and  are    allowed    to

continue their studies up to College level.  The school going refugee children are provided with free uniforms, noon meal, bus pass, text-books and note-books.  Cash doles and other assistnace admissible to the resident students studying outside the camp are handed over to their parents who are staying in camps.

11. Allocations of seats for Sri Lankan Refugee students in Professional / Technical Courses in Tamil Nadu are as follows:-

1. i)    20 seats in M.B.B.S.
   ii)    25 seats in B.E.
   iii)   3 seats in B.E.(Agriculture)
   iv)    5 seats in Government Law Colleges
   v)     1 seat in B.V.Sc. / B.F.Sc.
   vi)    7 seats in B.Sc (Agriculture)
   vii)    30 seats in Polytechnics

Reverse Flow of Refugees:

12. The Government organised mass reverse flow of refugees in the past when the situation in Sri Lanka improved.

However, there is only lukewarm response for the organised repatriation now in view of continued unrest in the island nation.  In individual cases, the refugees who are willing to go back to their motherland or to any other country at their own cost are issued with "Exit Permits" by the respective District Collectors / Superintendents of Police.

EX-SERVICEMEN'S  WELFARE

13. The Directorate of Ex-Servicemen's Welfare is functioning under the administrative control of Public Department. It looks after the welfare of Ex-servicemen and their dependents, War widows / War Disabled and the families of Serving Personnel. 1,48,483 Ex-Servicemen / Widows have registered at the District Offices as on 28.02.2002.

The activities of the department can be broadly grouped as:

1. 1.      Employment
2. 2.      Self-Employment
3. 3.      Training
4. 4.      Welfare assistance

14.  Welfare assistance is provided to the Ex-Servicemen facilities from the two Funds under operation   in   this department.  i.e.  Tamil Nadu

Ex-Services Personnel Benevolent Fund and Amalgamated Fund. The expenditure towards exgratia grant to those killed in action and the war disabled, grants to Gallantry and Distinguished Service   Awardees,  War  Service   incentive      to parents  who sent their sons  /  daughters  to   the Armed Foreces are met by the Government.  50 % of the administrative expenditure of this department is borne by the Government of India.

15.  During    the  year 2001-2002,    16,020

Ex-Servicemen / Dependents were benefited from Tamil Nadu Ex-Services Personnel Benevolent Fund   to  the tune  of  Rs .5.32  Crores: 1,694  

Ex-Servicemen /  Dependents were benefited from the Amalgamated Fund  to the tune of Rs.31.36 lakhs.

16.  Government have reserved certain specified   number  of   seats  for   the   children  of Ex-Servicemen and serving personnel in various educational institutions in the State.  These include 6 seats in the Anna University and 100 seats in the other Engineering Colleges for B.E. course, 6 seats for MBBS course, 60 seats for Nursing courses, 67 seats for Teacher Training Courses, 100 seats for diploma courses in Polytechnics, 6 seats for Undergraduate courses in each of the Arts and Science Colleges, 5% of the seats in Law Courses, etc.

17.  During the academic year 2001-2002, the Government have reserved 1 seat in Tamil Pandit Course in Government College of Education, Orathanadu, Thanjavur District for dependent of Ex-Servicemen.  The Government have also reserved 2 seats each in Post-graduate courses in Arts & Science Colleges having upto 2 branches and 3 seats each in the Colleges having more than 2 branches.  On 6.8.2001 the Government have also sanctioned cash in lieu of land to the recipients of Gallantry awards.

18. The Government has made it a point to pay respects and homage  to the soldiers who sacrifice  their precious lives in the frontiers for the sake of our country. The Government provides necessary support to their families in all such cases.  The Government have issued orders that whenever a soldier is killed in operation as mentioned above, the Minister, the district Collector and Police Officers of the concerned District should go in person and pay last respects to the deceased soldier.  An amount of Rs.5 lakhs is sanctioned to the family of the deceased soldier and one of the  legal heirs is provided Government employment according to eligibility.  During 2001-2002, families of 5 soldiers have been extended such courtesies and  assistance.

Temple Protection Force:

19. In order to protect various temples against theft of valuables and idols, a Temple Protection Force was formed in the year 1992 by employing Ex-Servicemen on consolidated wages.  So far, 2807 Ex-Servicemen are employed in various temples and are paid a consolidated amount of Rs.1500/- per month.

Flag Day Collections:

20. Tamil Nadu has been maintaining No.1 position in per capita Flag Day fund collection since 1985.  For Flag Day 2000, a sum of Rs.6.66 crores has been collected as against the target of Rs.4.20 crores.  For the Flag Day 2001, a sum of Rs.0.74 crore has been collected so far as against the target of Rs.4,41 crores.

Tamil Nadu Ex-Servicemen Corporation Limited (TEXCO)

21. Tamil Nadu Ex-Servicemen Corporation Limited (TEXCO), was formed on 28.1.1986 and registered under Companies Act.  It's a financially self-supporting, profit earning organisation.  The authorised and paid up share capital are Rs.50.00 lakhs and Rs.22.91 lakhs respectively.

22. The main objects of  TEXCO  are   to provide necessary assitance in planning formulating and executing various schemes for the welfare and economic uplift of the Ex-Servicemen belonging to Tamil Nadu and to carry on commercial activities as a Corporation.

23. Ex-Servicemen are sent for Security Services on contract basis mainly to State Government Organisations  and Central Govern ment Organisations. Wages for the Ex-Servicemen so sent for security and other  duties are fixed by the Director-General Resettlement.  TEXCO gets between 12 to 18 per cent  service charges for these services, from these organisations.  The Chennai Corporation has given the four wheeler and two wheeler   Paid     Parking Systems to the TEXCO on contract for three years till March 2002.

24. The operation and maintenance of the State Government owned 412 BELL Helicopter and CESSNA Air Craft has also been entrusted to TEXCO.  The expenditure on maintenance and management of the Air craft and Helicopter is initially met by TEXCO and later got reimbursed from the Government of Tamil Nadu.  2 % service charges is paid to TEXCO.