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Housing & Shelter; Social welfare & Empowerment

Relief and Rehabilitation Assistance to Sri Lankan Refugees in the Refugee Camps

The scheme provides relief materials, which among other things include Feeding Charges, Subsidized Rice, Clothing Materials, Utensils, Transportation Charges (on arrival), Porterage and Transport (on repatriation), Cash Doles, Infrastructure Facilities (at camps), Electricity, Drinking Water, etc.

Authority

Central

Region

None

Status

Verified 2026

Updated

March 2026

What you get

(a) Food for Temporary Stay in Different Camps | - In Quarantine Camp refugees are provided cooked food @ ₹ 45/- per day per adult, and @ ₹ 30/- per day per child. | - Refugees in Special Camps are provided cooked food @ ₹ 70/- per day per adult. | - Clothing material is also provided. | (b) Rice at a Subsidized Rate: | - Family Members: 01 Adults; Age: Above 8 years; Quantity of Rice: 400 grams daily | - Family Members: 02 Children; Age: Below 8 years; Quantity of Rice: 200 grams daily | (c) Free Clothing Materials | - Gender: Male; Category: Adult; Items: Dhoti (2); Vests (2) | - Gender: Male; Category: Child; Items: Half Trousers (2); Inner Garments (Vests) (1); Half Sleeve Shirt (1) | - Gender: Female; Category: Adult; Items: Sari (2); Blouse (2); Skirt (1) | - Gender: Female; Category: Child; Items: Skirt (1); Blouse (1); Frock/Gown (1) | - Category: Every Family; Items: Towels (2) | - Category: Every Adult; Items: Mat (1) | - Category: Every Adult (Once in 2 years); Items: Blanket (1) | NOTE: The above-listed materials are provided every year to all the refugees/refugee families in the camps free of cost except the blankets which are given once in two years. | (d) Aluminum Utensils | - Rice boiling utensils (5 ltr. Capacity ): 1 | - Sambar, Curry Utensils (2 ltr. Capacity): 1 | - Large spoon: 2; Dining Plates: 2; Tumblers: 2 | (e) Transportation Charges (on arrival) as per Approved Rates. | (f) Porterage & Transport (on repatriation) as per Approved Rates. | (g) Medical Assistance | - Refugees are given health check-ups & assistance upon arrival in Transit Camp. | - Medical assistance is rendered by Primary Health Centres/Government Hospitals (in Refugee Camps by the Government of Tamil Nadu). | - After an appropriate medical check-up, preventive medicine like inoculation for measles is administered, free of cost. | (h) Cash Dole Assistance to Sri Lankan Refugees in Camps | - Family Members: Head of the Family; Cash doles at Present (₹): 400.00 | - Family Members: Other Adults; Cash doles at Present (₹): 288.00 | - Family Members: First Child; Cash doles at Present (₹): 180.00 | - Family Members: Other Children; Cash doles at Present (₹): 90.00 | (i) Infrastructure Facilities at the Camps including Internal Roads, Electricity and Drinking Water. | Temporary huts were constructed and remodelled to the size of 10x10 sq feet with the provision of basic amenities. | (j) Vehicles and Petrol | Four vehicles have been approved by MHA from time to time. | Expenditure on petrol for these vehicles is also reimbursed by MHA. | (k) Exit Permits | The refugees, who are willing to go back to Sri Lanka or to any other country of their choice at their own cost, are issued with "Exit Permits" by the respective District Collectors. | (l) Cooked Food | While the refugees are in the quarantine camps under the supervision of the police department, cooked food is provided to the refugees every day (three times) at the rate of Rs 45/- per adult per day and Rs 30/- per child per day. | (m) Security | Multi-Colour Identity Cards are issued to every refugee above the age of 12 years to ensure their welfare and security. | (n) Pregnancy Care | - Pregnant Sri Lankan Tamil women are given Rs.1,000/- per month during the eighth, ninth and tenth months of pregnancy and for the first three months after the delivery, totalling Rs. 6,000/- under Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy Maternity Financial Assistance Scheme of the Government of Tamil Nadu. | - When the Sri Lankan Tamil refugee women are pregnant, they are administered tetanus injections by the nurses from the concerned Primary Health Centers (PHCs), after appropriate medical check-ups. | - Required medical counselling is provided to pregnant women every month, after appropriate medical check-ups. | - Pregnant women are provided with required vitamin tablets, milk, fruits and bread under the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS). | - Pregnant mothers can be admitted to the nearby PHC or hospital, free of cost, for child delivery. | - Following child delivery, the child’s birth certificate can be obtained through the hospital. | - Following the birth of a child, the details are furnished to the Village Administrative Officer and Special Revenue Inspector to record the same in the family card through which they can receive the cash doles immediately. | - Following the birth of a child, the nurses of the PHCs should continue to monitor the growth of the child and the mother’s health. | - The required nutritious food, vitamin tablets, milk, and fruits are given free of cost under the ICDS. | - Timely administration of polio drops, free of cost, to children is provided. | (o) Education | The refugee students studying upto 12th class in Government and Government-Aided schools are given free education, free notebooks, textbooks, free uniforms, free noon meals and a free bus pass to commute from the camp to the school. Students studying 11th class are given free bicycles. | (p) Employment | With a view to facilitating the refugees to earn their livelihood, they are permitted to leave the camps between 6.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m. in search of jobs commensurate with their skills /qualifications (subject to the laws in force in this regard).

Who can apply

The applicant should be a citizen of Sri Lanka.; The applicant should be a victim of the upsurge of ethnic violence in Sri Lanka.

Required Paperwork

  • Aadhaar Card
  • PAN Card
  • Income Certificate
  • Residence Proof (Domicile)

Common Questions

What are "Exit Permits," and who receives them?

Answer: "Exit Permits" are issued to refugees who are willing to go back to Sri Lanka or any other country at their own cost. They are issued by the respective District Collectors.

How is transportation, including vehicles and petrol, handled under the scheme?

Answer: Four vehicles have been approved by MHA, and the expenditure on petrol for these vehicles is reimbursed by MHA.

What infrastructure facilities are provided at the refugee camps?

Answer: The camps have facilities like internal roads, electricity, and drinking water.

Can you explain the cash dole assistance provided to Sri Lankan Refugees in Camps?

Answer: The cash dole assistance varies based on family members. The head of the family receives [?]400, other adults receive [?]288, the first child receives [?]180, and other children receive [?]90.

How are the health and growth of children monitored in the camps?

Answer: Nurses from PHCs monitor the growth of both the child and the mother. Nutritious food, vitamin tablets, milk, and fruits are provided free of cost under ICDS. Polio drops are administered to children at no cost.

What happens after the birth of a child in the refugee camps?

Answer: After the birth of a child, the child's birth certificate can be obtained through the hospital. The details are recorded with the Village Administrative Officer and Special Revenue Inspector for cash doles.

Question: What healthcare services are offered to pregnant Sri Lankan Tamil refugee women?

Answer: Pregnant women receive tetanus injections, regular medical check-ups, vitamin tablets, milk, fruits, and bread under the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS). They can also receive free admission to nearby PHCs or hospitals for child delivery.

How does the scheme provide medical assistance to refugees upon arrival in Transit Camp?

Answer: Refugees receive health check-ups and assistance upon arrival in Transit Camp. Medical assistance is provided by Primary Health Centres/Government Hospitals, including preventive medicine like inoculation for measles, administered free of cost.

What is porterage, and how is it related to the repatriation process?

Porterage is the service of carrying goods. It is provided to refugees on repatriation as per approved rates, assisting them in carrying their belongings when they return to their home country.

What types of aluminum utensils are provided under the scheme?

The scheme provides rice boiling utensils (5 ltr. Capacity), sambar, curry utensils (2 ltr. Capacity), large spoons, dining plates, and tumblers.

What clothing materials are provided to different categories of refugees?

Clothing materials provided include dhoti and vests for adult males, half trousers, inner garments, and half sleeve shirts for male children, saris and blouses for adult females, skirts and blouses for female children, towels for every family, mats for every adult, and blankets every two years for every adult.

What is the subsidized rice program, and how much rice is provided to family members?

Family members above 8 years receive 400 grams of rice daily, and children below 8 years receive 200 grams of rice daily.

Can you explain the benefits provided for food during the temporary stay in different camps?

In Quarantine Camps, adults receive cooked food at [?]45 per day, and children receive it at [?]30 per day. Refugees in Special Camps receive cooked food at [?]70 per day per adult. Additionally, clothing materials are provided.

How much has the Government of India spent on providing relief and accommodation to these refugees from July 1983 to March 2022?

An amount of [?]1,226 crore (approximately) has been spent by the Government of India during this period.

What is the objective of providing relief to Sri Lankan refugees under this scheme?

The ultimate objective of providing relief is the repatriation of the refugees to Sri Lanka. Relief is given pending such repatriation.

How is the expenditure for this scheme managed between the State Government and the Government of India?

The entire expenditure is initially incurred by the State Government and is subsequently reimbursed by the Government of India (GoI).

What kinds of relief materials are provided under this scheme?

Relief materials include Feeding Charges, Subsidized Rice, Clothing Materials, Utensils, Transportation Charges (on arrival and repatriation), Cash Doles, Infrastructure Facilities (at the camps), Electricity and Drinking Water, Vehicles and Petrol to the Sri Lankan Refugees.

Who is responsible for implementing the "Relief and Rehabilitation Assistance to Sri Lankan Refugees in the Refugee Camps" scheme?

The scheme is implemented by the Freedom Fighters & Rehabilitation Division of the Department of Home, Ministry of Home Affairs.

When were these eight schemes clubbed under the "Relief and Rehabilitation of Migrants and Repatriates" umbrella scheme?

On 4th July 2018, the Government of India approved clubbing eight schemes under the "Relief and Rehabilitation of Migrants and Repatriates" umbrella scheme.