Puducherry: CM Rangasamy requests assistance from Centre

PUDUCHERRY: Chief Minister of Puducherry N Rangasamy met with Nirmala Seetharaman, Minister of Finance, Government of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to request an additional Rs 2000 crore in government funding for the union territory. According to CM Rangasamy, the additional grant of Rs 2000 crore is absolutely essential to at least sustain the revised projection of 2021-2022, if GST compensation is not extended during the present year.

The budget for 2022-23 was to be presented in Puducherry legislative assembly on August 10, but owing to the delay in approval from the Centre, the assembly was adjourned. According to an official release, the Chief Minister also mentioned that the budget cannot be prepared without the additional aid of Rs 2000 crore.

Additionally, he requested PM Modi to guarantee that Puducherry receives the same treatment as other UTs, including full funding of centrally sponsored programmes, as the administration was unable to contribute its fair contribution to their implementation. CM Rangasamy also requested approval for Puducherry to receive Rs 425 crore for the purchase of 30 acres of property within Puducherry’s borders as well as 395 acres of land that is within Tamil Nadu’s borders for the expansion of the UT’s airport. This is important for promotion of tourism in the UT, according to CM Rangasamy.

Other requests made by the Chief Minister included the approval of Rs 300 crore for the construction of a new legislative assembly and its secretariat, special funding for health infrastructure, support for the growth of various cooperative organisations, funding for the payment of arrears of pay to government employees following the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission’s recommendations, and special central funding of Rs 150 crore for rural and urban road infrastructure. CM Rangasamy reiterated the demand for full statehood which has been a long-standing plea of the UT.