A group of 200 Sri Lankan refugees living in Tamil Nadu received Sri Lankan passports at the country’s Deputy High Commission in Chennai.
This is the first time for the refugee community in India.
Earlier, if Sri Lankan refugees living in Tamil Nadu wanted to leave for a third country, they had to first travel to Sri Lanka on a passport issued under the Refugee Repatriation Programme and then apply for a Sri Lankan passport there.
Under the new initiative, they need not visit Sri Lanka, but can instead apply directly for a passport though the diplomatic missions in India.
Then they can leave for a foreign country from India.