Will implement all schemes, provide 'freebies' announced in budget: Rangasamy

PUDUCHERRY: Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remark against 'freebie culture' kicked up a nationwide storm recently, Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy, who heads the AINRC-BJP government in the UT, on Friday assured implementation of all schemes including the 'freebies' announced in this year's Puducherry budget. His response came after leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R Siva questioned whether the UT government would provide the 'freebies', or would they remain as mere announcements in line with the Central government's stance.

Winding up the discussions on the budget on Friday, the CM said the scheme to provide free bicycles and free laptops to school students will be certainly implemented, and clarified that laptops would be provided to Class 11 and 12 students of aided schools as well, through the grant-in-aid provided to students up to Class 10. Further, the health insurance scheme will be made available to all the people of the UT, he added. The new schemes aim to make Puducherry the BEST (B for business hub, E for education hub, S for spiritual hub and T for tourism hub) according to the PM's vision, the CM noted.

Bureaucrats must be sensitive to people's needs

Accepting that there are delays in implementation of government schemes, Rangasamy referred to President Droupadi Murmu’s appeal to IAS officers and exhorted the bureaucracy to be sensitive to the requirements of the needy and act quickly. They must ensure that files are cleared without loss of time and that there is no delay in deciding from where to avail loans -- -- banks, NABARD or HUDCO -- for projects.

The CM said the government would focus on raising funds to implement schemes and projects as some of the members have expressed apprehensions on constraints of resources, increasing debts, and availability of funds, and added that the UT government has urged the Centre to provide cent percent grants for implementation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS).

Apart from this, the Union Finance Minister has been requested to provide at least `800 crore now out of the `2,000 crore sought, Rangasamy said. The Centre, meanwhile, has advised to utilise the available funds and complete the ongoing works by December and assured that additional funds would be provided in the Revised Estimate. He added there was unanimity in the UT in the demand for statehood, and that it would be pursued with the Centre with the cooperation of all political parties.

Stating that the UT’s debt has risen to around Rs 10,000 crore, Rangasamy said he had requested the Centre to waive off the legacy loan with  interest. Steps will be taken to discuss with the Union Home Minister to grant a moratorium on payment of interest for five years, he said, and added that it would be good if the principal and interest are waived off as well to aid the UT's development.