Refugees pose a very difficult problem :PM
NEW DELHI, May 21, The Prime Minister said here today that the country was facing a very difficult problem on the eastern border as the huge expenditure on the 3.2 million evacuees had to be borne by India. writes UNI.
Mrs. Gandhi who was addressing the concluding session of the conference of State Social Welfare Ministers, said this meant that “we were unable to spend at this juncture as large a fund as we would like on our social welfare and other developmental programmes.”
The Shillong Buddhist Association has donated an amount of Rs. 2000 to the East Bengal Evacuees Relief Fund.
The cheque was presented to the Chief Minister of Assam Mr. M. M. Choudhury today by the General Secretary, Mr. Jinaratan Mahathera.
The British Government today said it was giving one million pounds (Rs. 1.8 crores) for the relief of refugees from East Bengal, AP writes from London.
A foreign office spokesman said the money was being sent in response to an appeal made on Wednesday by the UN Secretary-General, U. Thunt.
The money will go to the UN Commissioner for refugees and to other UN organizations involved and will be disbursed. With the cooperation of the Indian Government.
The foreign office said the priority was being given to tents, mobile hospitals, transport equipment and cooking utensils.
Reference: Hindustan Standard, 22.05.1971