Chief Minister N. Rangasamy said on Wednesday that two kilogram sugar would be supplied free of cost to all ration card holders in view of Deepavali .
He was launching the Deepavali Handloom Exhibition of Puducherry State Weavers Co-Operative Society Limited at Maraimalai Adigal Salai.
The Chief Minister said 10 per cent increment would be given to the weavers in Puducherry with immediate effect. He also announced the hike in the pension benefits to them.
Pointing out that over 6,000 families depend on their livelihood from handloom weaving, Mr. Rangasamy said his government had taken several initiatives to the betterment of the community. The PONTEX achieved the sale of Rs. 7 crore and the sale target for the current year has been fixed at Rs.20 crore.
Later, addressing a meeting under Niyaat Bandhu Scheme for the new/existing entrepreneurs of Puducherry , the Chief Minister put the blame for the lull in industrial growth in the Union Territory on the Union Government.
“Several sops granted by the Central government to the industries in the Union Territory were stopped. The industries migrated to the place where the sops are available.”
Mr. Rangasamy said even though UT government put forth demand of extending such sops to the industries, the Central government had not done that so far.
