Chidambaram declares housing complex for tsunami hit villages open

Union home minister P Chidambaram on Sunday declared open a housing complex of more than 1,400 independent houses constructed by Puducherry government for rehabilitation of tsunami-affected fishermen families of four coastal villages at Kalapet near Puducherry.

The complex, built with the help of a Rs82 crore Central government grant, will house fisherfolk of Pillaichavady, Sinna Kalapet, Periya Kalapet and Ganapathy Chettykulam villages, who were affected in the December 2004 tsunami.

Chidambaram also lauded Puducherry for emerging on top in the education sector in a recent nationwide survey, which brought to the fore "the excellent opportunities available in all levels of education in Puducherry".

Puducherry, he said, was the only city that provides free medical education to all school students.

Chief minister V Vaithilingam, V Narayanasamy, Union minister of state for parliamentary affairs and the chief minister's cabinet colleagues were among those who spoke at the function.