Puducherry statehood push: ‘Unable to attract investors,’ CM seeks Vice-President’s intervention
Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy has presented a memorandum to Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, requesting statehood for the Union Territory.
Dhankar is on an official visit to Puducherry to participate in functions at JIPMER and Pondicherry Central University.
During a meeting with the VP on Monday, Rangasamy stated that successive elected governments, irrespective of their political parties, had time and again impressed upon the Centre for the need for statehood.
The territorial Assembly had also adopted resolutions with the unanimous support of all political parties and more importantly the people of Puducherry for statehood, he pointed out in the memorandum.
The CM emphasised that the elected government of the Union Territory is a limited government, not by the Constitution but by the decades-old law of the Parliament, through the Government of Union Territories Act of 1963 which is still in force.
He stated in the memorandum that even though the government was elected democratically with a Council of Ministers and an assembly, it was unable to function and execute various developmental activities quickly because of lack of powers at the level of the Council of Ministers.
He also brought to the notice of the Vice- President that Puducherry was currently not included in the Finance Commission on the ground, resulting in improper devolution of funds for development.
He also noted that if statehood is granted to the Union territory, about Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 crore under additional devolution of funds, as per the existing formula, could be expected which would be helpful to take up various infrastructural activities to improve Puducherry as a fast-growing place as a tourism destination.
“With limited powers now, we are unable to attract investors for industrial development to generate employment opportunities," Rangasamy said.
He requested the Vice-President to discuss the granting of statehood whenever possible at higher levels for enhanced tourism and for industrial development.
India