Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy on Tuesday said that the welfare of the people was kept in mind while preparing the budget for 2019-20 in spite of facing various difficulties.

Replying to suggestions given by legislators particularly those from the Opposition to rectify various shortcomings in the administration during the debate on the budget, Mr. Narayanasamy told the Assembly that he had prepared the budget in the face of several challenges and trying circumstances. He stressed on the fact that there was delay on the part of the Centre to accord approval for the budget proposals prepared by the government.

The routine intervention in administration was another reason for the challenges the government had faced. However, the welfare of the people was kept in mind and the steps taken to augment revenue had also been chiefly responsible for the budget of ₹8,524 crore. The previous budget was for ₹7,530 crore and the government left no stone unturned to ensure that there was uninterrupted implementation of welfare schemes.

Mr. Narayanasamy said that normally the Centre would annually increase its grants for the budgetary requirements of Puducherry by 10%.

But now it was only a 5% hike while states were getting 42% of budget requirement as grant from the Centre.

Puducherry was earmarked only 26% of the budget requirement as grant this year, the Chief Minister said. The burden to implement the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations had also been cast on the government. However, these challenges and difficulties were overcome with much prudence leading to 11% growth in the State’s economic sector, he added.