The Puducherry government will launch a scheme to disburse ₹1,000 as monthly aid to women heads of below poverty line (BPL) families on Monday, Lt. Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan has said.
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Speaking to the media on the sidelines of an event to mark the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Sri Aurobindo at Raj Nivas, Ms. Soundararajan said even though a similar scheme in Tamil Nadu was yet to bear fruition, the modalities of rolling out the welfare measure had been completed in Puducherry. Chief Minister N. Rangasamy would join her in the grand launch of the scheme, she said.
The proposal, to provide ₹1,000 as monthly assistance to women heads of BPL families in the 21-55 age range who are not covered by other welfare schemes, had been announced by the Chief Minister in the Budget for 2022-23. The file was sanctioned by the Lt. Governor last week.
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The Lt. Governor reiterated that people’s welfare was at the heart of governance in Puducherry. “Whenever a welfare proposal is sent to me for approval, I see not just a file but the human faces of the targeted beneficiaries. There is no discrimination when it comes to doing good for the people,” she said.
Asked about Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s recent remark questioning the decisional powers of the Lt. Governor in some matters, the Lt. Governor said, “In some place where there are Lt. Governors, we hear this argument from the Chief Ministers that the Lt. Governors lack authority. It would be better in the interests of good governance if Chief Ministers better appreciate the role of the Constitutional office of Governors or Lt. Governors and act accordingly. It is my wish that the Chief Ministers and Governors/Lt. Governors work in tandem,” Ms. Soundararajan said.
On the Tamil Nadu or ‘Thamizhagam’ row, the Lt. Governor said that while both terms were not mutually exclusive, she said her personal view was that the name Tamil Nadu, which symbolised a great deal of sacrifice and intense struggles could not be replaced that simply.
The events planned in Puducherry around India’s G20 presidency would showcase the culture, heritage and cuisine of the region for international delegates. There are also planns to organise a tour of the Auroville universal township for the visiting dignitaries, the Lt. Governor said.