The Public Department deals with certain important matters concerning the general administration of the State. The following are some of the important subjects dealt with by the Public Department : -

2. Further, this department also deals with matters relating to His Excellency the Governor and the Council of Ministers, which are covered in Demand No.2. The Protocol wing of the Public Department looks after the visits of V.V.I.Ps like the President of India, the Prime Minister of India, Union Cabinet Ministers, V.I.Ps from other States and Foreign dignitaries. Matters relating to the Sri Lankan Refugees, welfare of the Ex-servicemen and their families, as well as freedom fighters and Ex-INA personnel, etc., are looked after by another wing of the Public Department. It liaises with the Ministries of Defence, External Affairs and Home on all matters of common interest between the State and the Central Governments. This Department is also concerned with matters relating to the personal staff of the Council of Ministers as well as the provision of motor vehicles, telephones, computers and other office requirements of the Ministers.

3. The Public Department is also in-charge of maintenance of the Secretariat Building and its environs. The Namakkal Kavignar Maligai was constructed 27 years ago. Both the Main building and the Namakkal Kavignar Maligai building of the Secretariat are insufficient to accommodate the increased number of staff in the Secretariat. The Namakkal Kavignar Maligai Building was not designed properly to meet the modern needs of employees and no provision was made to take care of the future requirements. The interior of the buildings has developed cracks and leakages, making many areas of the building unsafe. The toilets available in the building are not only insufficient but are also unfit for use. A proposal has been approved by the Government to construct a new Secretariat complex with all facilities in Kottur Village near the Anna University Main Campus.

4. Establishment matters concerned with the State Human Rights Commission and other Commissions of Inquiry appointed by the Government under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952, on Law and Order and other sensitive issues are dealt with in this department. Provision of Office chamber, furniture, telephone, car, etc., to these commissions are also looked after by this department.

The ethnic violence that erupted in Sri Lanka in 1983 resulted in large scale exodus of Sri Lankan Tamil Refugees seeking asylum in India. The refugees are accommodated in refugee camps situated in various districts of Tamil Nadu. As on 31.5.2004, there are 56,828/- refugees accommodated in 103 camps, including one special camp in the State. 19 refugees are accommodated in a special camp located at Chengalpattu in Kancheepuram District.

The Government arranged for the organised repatriation of refugees in two phases during the period 1983-1995 and 99,469 refugees were repatriated to Sri Lanka. During the period 1983-2004 (up to 31.5.2004), about 96,700
Sri Lankan Tamil refugees were sent back to Sri Lanka under Voluntary (willing) Repatriation.

The Sri Lankan refugees are given various kinds of relief as prescribed by the Government of India. The entire expenditure on refugees is initially met by the State Government and then reimbursed by the Government of India.

1) CASH DOLES:

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

Every month a sum of about Rupees 90 lakhs is being disbursed to the camp refugees as cash dole.

2) SUBSIDISED RICE

Rice is supplied to the refugees accommodated in the refugee camps at a subsidised rate of 0.57 paise per Kilo-gram on the following scale as per Government of India guidelines:

1. Adult 400 grams per day

2. Children (Below 8 years) 200 grams per day

The Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation supplies rice through the fair-price shops and gets the differential cost reimbursed by the Government. An amount of Rs. 5.30 crore is spent every year on this account.

3) CLOTHING MATERIALS

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

4) UTENSILS

5 types of utensils are supplied free of cost to all the refugee families accommodated in camps once in two years. A sum of Rs.15 lakh is spent for the provision of utensils to the refugees.

5) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE

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

6) EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES

The Government of Tamil Nadu is providing educational facilities to the children of refugees. The children of refugees are admitted in schools without the production of transfer certificate from the schools last studied at in Sri Lanka. The school going refugee children are provided with free uniforms, noon meals, bus passes, text-books and note-books. The refugee children are allowed to continue their studies anywhere in Tamil Nadu and the cash dole and other assistance meant for the students are handed over to their parents who are staying in the refugee camps.

7) INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME 2003-04

Under the Infrastructure Development Programme for Sri Lankan refugees 2003-04, a sum of Rs.1.10 Crores has been sanctioned by the Government of India for the provision of basic amenities such as electricity, drinking water, toilets and repair of huts in the refugee camps. The Government of India have also given their concurrence for a sum of Rs.39,94,615 /- and these works will be carried out during 2004-05. The concurrence of the Government of India is still awaited for incurring an estimated expenditure of Rs.1.42 Crores. The State Government incurs the expenditure first and then claims reimbursement from the Government of India.

8) REPATRIATION OF REFUGEES

The Government of India have agreed in principle that the State Agencies may make advance preparations for the eventual repatriation of the Srilankan refugees, which will be classified as Organised Repatriation. The Organised Repatriation will commence only after a favourable response is received from the Government of Srilanka.

The refugees who are willing to go back to their motherland or to any other country at their own cost are allowed to go by issuing "Exit Permits".

The Directorate of Ex-Servicemen's Welfare is functioning under the control of the Public Department. It looks after the rehabilitation and resettlement of Ex-Servicemen and their dependants and the welfare of the families of Serving Defence Personnel in the State. All the welfare schemes are being implemented through the 25 District Offices. As on 31.03.2004, 1,57,312 Ex-Servicemen / Widows have registered with the District Offices.

2. The main activities of the department are as follows :-

3. Ex-gratia grant is provided to the families of those killed in action and the war disabled. This Government also provides grants to gallantry and distinguished service awardees, and war service incentive to parents who send their sons / daughters to the Armed Forces. The Government of India reimburses 50% of the administrative expenditure of the Department of Ex-Servicemen's Welfare.

4. The following two Funds are maintained by the Directorate of Ex-Servicemen's Welfare for providing welfare assistance.

During the year 2003-2004, 20,715 Ex-Servicemen / Dependants were benefited to an extent of Rs.749 lakhs from the above Funds.

5. During the year 2001, the Government has sanctioned cash in lieu of land to the recipients of the Gallantry Award on par with the guidelines suggested by the Government of India. The Government has ordered that the last rites of the Defence / Border Security Force Personnel in the line of duty may be conducted with full State honours befitting the status of martyrs, recognising their supreme sacrifice. The Minister belonging to the district of the martyr, the District Collector and the Superintendent of Police have been asked to pay their respects in person to the mortal remains of martyr. An amount of Rs.5,00,000/- is sanctioned to the next of kin of the slain Defence / BSF Personnel in addition to providing compassionate appointment to the next of kin of the deceased as per the eligibility. During 2003-2004, a total of 15 families of Defence / Border Security Force Personnel who laid down their lives or were disabled in action against Enemy Forces, Militants or in Counter Insurgency Operations have been extended financial assistance from the Kargil Defence Personnel Relief Fund. A total sum of Rs.71 lakhs has been sanctioned on this account.

6. The Government has reserved a 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 75 seats in other Engineering Colleges for B.E. Course, 6 seats for MBBS Course, 60 seats for Nursing 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. The reservation of seats for the wards of Ex-Servicemen for Teacher Training Course has been enhanced from 67 to 132 with effect from 2002 academic year. This Government has also waived in favour of the Ex-Servicemen, the requirement of passing through physical and efficiency tests in selection to the post of Police Constable Grade-II. The upper age limit has also been increased to 45 years in the case of Ex-Servicemen competing for Police Constable selection.

7. The Government has also reserved one seat in Tamil Pandit Course in Government College of Education, Orathanadu, Thanjavur District, for dependant of Ex-Servicemen, 2 seats each in Post-Graduate courses in Arts & Science Colleges having up to 2 branches, and 3 seats each in Colleges having more than 2 branches.

The Government has sanctioned a sum of Rs.1.94 Crores during 2003 for the construction of a Jawans Bhavan at Erode from the Tamil Nadu Ex-Services Personnel Benevolent Fund. The work is in progress.

A Temple Protection Force was formed in the year 1992 by employing Ex-Servicemen on consolidated wages, in order to protect temples and to prevent theft of valuables and idols. So far 2,681 Ex-Servicemen have been employed in various temples. They are paid a consolidated amount of Rs.1,500/- per month.

Tamil Nadu has been in the forefront in respect of Flag Day Collections since 1985. In the year 2002, a sum of Rs.6.85 crores has been collected against the target of Rs.4.60 crores. In the year 2003, (for the period from 07.12.2003 to 06.12.2004) a sum of Rs.2.43 crores has been collected up to 30.04.2004 against the target of Rs.6.00 crores.

TAMIL NADU EX-SERVICEMEN'S CORPORATION LIMITED (TEXCO)

1. The Tamil Nadu Ex-Servicemen's Corporation Limited (TEXCO) was formed on 28.01.1986 and registered under the Companies Act. It is 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.

2. The main objectives of TEXCO are to provide necessary assistance in planning, formulating and executing various schemes for the welfare and economic uplift of Ex-servicemen belonging to Tamil Nadu and to carry on commercial activities as a Corporation.

3. TEXCO makes arrangements to send the registered Ex-servicemen for Security Services on contract basis, mainly to the State and Central Government Organisations. The Director General of Resettlement, Ministry of Defence, provides guidelines for fixing the Wages for the Ex-servicemen so sent for security and other duties. TEXCO gets service charges of 12 per cent for these services from these orgainsations with effect from 1.4.2004. TEXCO has also undertaken the Paid Parking System at Southern Railway, Madurai, with effect from 20.04.2002 with the condition of sharing the parking fee collection in the ratio of 50:50.

4. A similar system has also been undertaken by TEXCO at Perambur Railway Station from 27.9.2003. The Corporation of Chennai has entrusted the implementation of Paid Parking System to TEXCO.

5. This Corporation has sponsored 7275 Ex-Servicemen for employment on contract basis as on 31.03.2004.

3. CHIEF MINISTER’S SPECIAL CELL

1. The Chief Minister’s Special Cell plays a very important role in redressing the grievances of the general public. The Special Officer of the cell who is an I.A.S. Officer, has been authorised to correspond directly with the appropriate competent authority under the State Government, dispensing with the usual channel of communication in order to accelerate the Redressal of grievances.

2. Petitions presented to the Hon’ble Chief Minister in Chennai and while on tour, are sent to the concerned Secretariat Departments/Heads of Departments/Collectors/ Superintendents of Police for immediate action, after entering the details in the computer. Hon’ble Chief Minster meets the public on all days of her visit to the Secretariat between 1.00 P.M. and 2.00 P.M. subject to other exigencies. The Public are also free to present their petitions to the Chief Minister’s Special Cell on all working days and petitions can also be sent by post/fax/e-mail etc.

3. There are 10 Social Workers/Counsellors for the Chief Minister’s Special Cell. These Counsellors personally hear the petitioners, and enlighten them about the welfare schemes of the Government and the procedure to be followed to avail of the benefits. At the enquiry counter of the Chief Minister’s Special Cell, the status of the petition is informed to the public after checking it in the computer.

4. The Special Officer of the Chief Minister’s Special Cell holds periodical review meetings with the Nodal Officers of the Secretariat Departments/Heads of Departments and with the Special Deputy Collectors (Public Grievances Redressal Cell) of the Districts to expedite / monitor the action on the petitions. During the year 2003 alone 4,05,517 petitions were received in the Chief Minister’s Special Cell, of which 3,65,802 (90.21%) have been disposed of so far.

5. With a view to according appreciative recognition to the Collectors who distinguished themselves in the prompt and positive disposal of the Chief Minister's Special Cell petitions, Hon’ble Chief Minister's Awards are distributed to the Collectors for the highest rate of compliance with requests.

6. The modernisation of the Chief Minister's Special Cell was taken up in 2003 with the acquisition of the latest hardware and software at a cost of Rs.23 lakhs.

i. Rs.2,87,76,160/- has been sanctioned by the Hon’ble Chief Minister to 1,179 downtrodden people living in indigent circumstances to meet the cost of life saving surgeries.

ii. 339 meritorious students, who had secured admission in Professional colleges but were unable to join due to financial constraints, have been helped with a financial assistance of Rs.89,65,235/-.

iii. Financial assistance of Rs.1,33,27,304/- has been sanctioned by the Hon’ble Chief Minister for extending assistance of various categories to 449 beneficiaries.

iv. The Hon’ble Chief Minister sanctioned Rs.54,95,276/- to 5,164 physically handicapped persons towards the purchase of tools and implements.