The Puducherry government has decided to write off agriculture loan to the tune of ₹13. 8 crore, Chief Minister N. Rangasamy informed the Assembly on Tuesday.
Winding up the discussion on the demands for grants, he said the loans taken by farmers amounting to ₹13. 8 crore from cooperative banks would be written off.
Mr. Rangasamy was confident of implementing government programmes and said the administrative problems left by the previous government were being sorted out.
“We are still facing administrative issues but are hopeful of fulfilling the promises to the satisfaction of all. The officials should avoid creating unnecessary delay by raising unwanted queries. Files should not be delayed for want of official clearance. If everyone works together, we could bring development to the satisfaction of all,” he said.
Steps were being taken to construct a new Assembly-cum- administrative complex. The Lingareddipalayam sugar mill would be made functional through public-private partnership. A decision on the defunct Anglo-French Textile Mill would soon be taken after the remaining dues of workers were settled, he added.
The administration has also decided to enhance the pension of those aged 70-80 to ₹3,000. A sum of ₹30 crore would be set aside to revive Amudhasurabhi and Pontex.
The Chief Minister announced the enhancement of the marriage assistance provided by the Legal Welfare Board from ₹7,000 to ₹15,000, the maternity assistance from ₹5,000 to ₹10,000 and the funeral assistance from ₹10,000 to ₹15,000. The government would also set up a welfare board for autorickshaw drivers.
Full Budget
The Chief Minister assured the House that a full Budget would be presented at the start of the next financial year. The Centre had also stressed the need to present a full Budget in March, he said.
“We are hopeful of getting more funds this year itself. The Centre has promised to allocate more funds if the government is able to spend more money by December,” Mr. Rangasamy said.
Speaker R. Selvam adjourned the House sine die after it passed the Appropriation Bill (authorising the government to draw money from the Consolidated Fund of India during the current financial year).
