Chennai, Aug 2 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu government Tuesday extended its old age pension of Rs.1,000 a month to the 5,544 Sri Lankan refugees living in various camps in the state.

A statement from the government said Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa had ordered the payment.

Shortly after taking power in May, the AIADMK government had announced its decision to extend the welfare schemes to Sri Lankan refugees.

Tamil Nadu is home to thousands of Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka, but only some live in designated refugee camps.