Puducherry, Aug 8 (PTI) Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy on Thursday said the government had evolved a Rs 480 crore drinking water scheme to ease the woes of the people in getting good potable water.
Winding up the debate in the Assembly on the budget he presented on August 2, Rangasamy said the members had brought to the notice of the administration the difficulties faced by people in several areas in getting good potable water. “We have evolved a Rs 480 crore drinking water scheme to end the woes of the people,” he added.
He said the budget for the fiscal 2024-2025 involving an outlay of Rs 12,700 crore had been framed keeping in mind the plans to develop infrastructure, innovative schemes to promote education, generate job opportunities and also improve the living conditions of the people.
Further, the Chief Minister said the government would also set up an IT park to ensure jobs for the educated youth. The vast stretch of land available in Karasur and Sedarapet would be used for developing industrial enterprises.
Rangasamy expressed concern that the single window system adopted for attracting entrepreneurs to set up their units here had not been able to achieve its goal. Big industrial units were not coming forward because of the sluggish functioning of the single window scheme.
He also listed the welfare measures evolved and implemented to promote welfare of women and the other marginalised sections.
Stating that ‘spiritual tourism’ held the key to put Puducherry on the tourism map, the Chief Minister said the Villianoor area near here had the potential to promote spiritual tourism. “Villianoor is dotted with several ancient temples and the area could be developed as a temple city so that tourists interested in spiritual spots could visit it,” he added.
Meanwhile, members of the opposition DMK and Congress staged a walkout in the Assembly as a mark of protest against the ‘inertia and lack of measures’ on the part of the territorial government to ensure 50 per cent reservation under government quota for first year MBBS courses in private medical colleges in Puducherry.
Opposition leader R Siva (DMK) who raised the issue in the House when the budget was being discussed, said “it is indeed a sorry state of affairs that the government is not enforcing the circular of National Medical council (NMC) that 50 per cent of total intake in private medical colleges should be earmarked for government quota.” Siva said private medical colleges were not adhering to the stipulation that they earmark fifty percent of the total seats for government quota. He urged the Chief Minister to state the government’s stand as students from Puducherry were suffering. He alleged the managements were fixing the quota as per their whims and fancies violating NMC’s directions every year. PTI Cor SS
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