business (through Refugee Businessmen’s Rehabilitation Board), Higher Business (through Rehabilitation Finance Administration), profession etc.
VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL TRAINING:
Junior Technical and Vocational training was imparted to refugee boys and girls in various training centres for self-employment. Over 45,000 refugees including 17,000 women completed their training as craftsmen, supervisors and engineers by December 1960. Seats were reserved for refugee trainees in Industrial Training Institutes and Polytechnics and capital grants were given to many technical institutions for additional accommodation and purchase of equipment. These arrangements were discontinued after 1964.
Another measure that was taken to provide training-cum-employment to the refugees, particularly the female inmates of Homes, was the setting up of 38 Training-cum-Production Centres.
EMPLOYMENT MEASURES:
Several measures were taken to create employment avenues for refugees in industry, both State-owned and private. Substantial financial assistance was given to the state owned organisations such as State Electricity Board and Calcutta State Transport Corporation for creating jobs for refugee youths. Individual refugee entrepreneurs who had set up cottage and small-scale industries and Co-operative Societies were assisted with finance for self-employment as also for employment of other refugees.
The Rehabilitation Industries Corporation Ltd. was established by the Govt. of India in Calcutta for creating employment opportunities for refugees through industrial development in small and medium sectors.
EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES:
The fundamental principle underlying the educational schemes was that every refugee school-going child should be able to get free primary education. The more deserving students should receive free secondary education. Stipends were sanctioned to promising students for higher technical and general education. More than 1,300 primary schools were opened for refugee children. In the secondary schools, needy students were given stipends to cover the cost of books as also the schools fees. Stipends were also given to promising students for education in arts, science, medical, engineering and professional institutions.
MEDICAL AID:
The Government provided medical facilities to the refugees through the expansion of general hospitals, T.B. hospitals, dispensaries and health centres, the setting up new T.B. and general beds, opening of chest clinics etc.
Government has thus been trying to solve the socio-economic problems arising from influx of refugees since independence. This was analysed in the following reports of Govt. of India and Govt. of West Bengal.
(1) Report of the Fact Finding Committee, Govt. of India, 1953.
(2) Report of the Committee of Ministers, Govt. of India, 1954.
