Latest news with #Puducherry
The Hindu
17-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Puducherry CM Rangasamy makes case for U.T.'s inclusion in Finance Commission to NITI Aayog member
Chief Minister N. Rangasamy has reiterated the demand for Puducherry's inclusion in the Central Finance Commission (CFC) during a meeting with Arvind Virmani, Member of NITI Aayog, who called on him during a visit to the city. While no formal memorandum was submitted to the NITI Aayog body, Mr. Rangasamy utilised the occasion of the meeting to press for CFC member status citing the grave financial crisis in the Union Territory that impeded the development agenda of the NDA governments at the Centre and the Union Territory. The Chief Minister pointed out that Puducherry was missing out on a share from the divisible pool earmarked for States as it remained outside the purview of the CFC. With limited Central funds and scope for generating own revenue, especially after the establishment of a separate Public Account in 2007, the Union Territory was unable to fulfil its welfare commitments or undertake development projects, he said. Mr. Rangasamy also made the case for 100% funding for Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS), citing the drastic reduction of Central funds in the Union Territory's annual Budget outlay over the recent years. Speaker R. Selvam, Chief Secretary Sharat Chauhan and A. Muthamma, Commissioner-cum-Secretary were present. AIADMK submits memorandum Meanwhile, the AIADMK urged the NITI Aayog to consider inclusion of the Union Territory in the Central Finance Commission and a reversion to the pre-2007 practice of the Union government fully financing the Centrally Sponsored Schemes. In a memorandum submitted to the visiting NITI Aayog member, A. Anbalagan, AIADMK secretary pointed out that Puducherry's exclusion from the CFC has constrained the funds available for implementing welfare schemes. Even the State's share of 40% to CSS could not be contributed by the Union Territory. Earlier, the CSS were fully funded by the Central government and there was no State share. But this system was changed and the Union Territories with Legislative Assemblies were required to make a contribution of 40% as State's share. 'This puts our Union Territory in a difficult position. We would request you to kindly arrange for revival of the old procedure of full funding by the Union government for Centrally Sponsored Schemes,' the memorandum said. It also pointed out that Puducherry had a legacy loan of around ₹2,600 crore when a separate Public Account was adopted for the Union Territory in 2007. Repeated requests to Union government by Puducherry administration to write off the legacy loan have only gone in vain. The AIADMK urged the NITI Aayog to facilitate the waiver of the loan. Though it is another matter that Puducherry had not conducted local body election since 2016, even if such an exercise were to be completed, the Union Territory could not get financial assistance from the Central government as it was not included in the CFC. Pointing out that even the newly-created Union Territory of J&K was included in the Finance Commission, the AIADMK felt that it was imperative to include Puducherry in the planning and fund devolving body to liberate the Union Territory from the acute fiscal crisis. The AIADMK also argued that the U.T.'s inclusion in the CFC would only enable the NDA government in Puducherry, which has been executing a number of welfare schemes for the betterment of the public, to fully align with the goal of making 'BEST Puducherry' as envisaged by the Prime Minister.
Khaleej Times
14-07-2025
- Khaleej Times
India: Former Miss Puducherry San Rechal Gandhi dies by suicide at 26
San Rechal Gandhi, former Miss Puducherry and an advocate for inclusivity in the fashion industry, died on Saturday at the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), days after an alleged suicide attempt. The 26-year-old model and social activist had reportedly consumed an overdose of sleeping pills on July 5. According to news outlets in India, she was initially taken to the Puducherry Government Hospital by her father and later shifted to a private hospital before being admitted to JIPMER, where she succumbed. Rechal rose to prominence for challenging colourism and promoting diversity in fashion. She was crowned Miss Dark Queen Tamil Nadu in 2019 and later won the Miss Puducherry title in 2021. She also represented India in international modelling events held in London, Germany, and France. According to police sources in reports by Indian outlets, Rechal had recently married and was reportedly battling depression at the time of her death. The Urulaiyanpettai Police have registered a case and launched an investigation. Raised by her father after losing her mother at a young age, Rechal was known for her work on women's safety and for breaking conventional beauty norms in the modelling industry.
News18
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Ex-Miss Puducherry Who Challenged Colourism: All About Model San Rachel Who Died By Suicide
Last Updated: Rechal's victory as Miss Puducherry 2021 marked a turning point in her career, propelling her into national and international beauty competitions Popular model, ex-Miss Puducherry, and social media personality San Rechal—who allegedly died by suicide on Sunday—was a strong advocate against colourism in the fashion industry. Rechal rose to prominence in the competitive world of pageantry, where she made her mark despite facing intense societal pressures. However, her journey was not without its struggles, as she often spoke out about being targeted online due to her dark skin, a topic she frequently addressed in interviews and on social media. Rechal's victory as Miss Puducherry 2021 marked a turning point in her career, propelling her into national and international beauty competitions. In 2021, she was crowned Miss World Black Beauty, a milestone achievement that defied industry norms and prejudices surrounding beauty standards. She used her platform to speak out against colourism, sharing her personal experiences of online trolling, where she was often criticised for her skin tone. Despite the hate, Rechal remained a strong advocate for diversity and inclusivity in the beauty industry. She famously said, 'Beauty is not defined by colour, shape, or size. I embrace who I am and encourage others to do the same." Her success continued when she was selected to represent India at the Miss Africa Golden 2023 pageant, further cementing her status as a rising star in the global modeling world. However, behind the public persona, Rechal was quietly battling mental health issues. Sources report that she had struggled with depression for some time, but her ongoing battle was not widely known to the public. According to the police, heavy financial and personal pressure may have led her to take the extreme step. Officials said that in recent months, San had sold her jewellery to raise money for her career. She was reportedly hoping for help from her father, but he said he couldn't support her because he had to take care of her brother. The police recovered a suicide note, which said that no one was responsible for her death. If you or someone you know needs help, call any of these helplines: Aasra (Mumbai) 022-27546669, Sneha (Chennai) 044-24640050, Sumaitri (Delhi) 011-23389090, Cooj (Goa) 0832- 2252525, Jeevan (Jamshedpur) 065-76453841, Pratheeksha (Kochi) 048-42448830, Maithri (Kochi) 0484-2540530, Roshni (Hyderabad) 040-66202000, Lifeline 033-64643267 (Kolkata) view comments First Published: July 14, 2025, 12:34 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Hindu
25-06-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
U.T. bags national award for tobacco control measures
Puducherry has bagged the 'Best Performing UT Award' in the Tobacco-Free Youth campaign 2.0, a national recognition conferred by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The award acknowledges Puducherry's efforts in implementing tobacco control initiatives under the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) during the year 2024 25, an official release said. The Union Territory was lauded for its robust enforcement of anti-tobacco laws, particularly the yellow line campaigns aimed at preventing the sale of tobacco products near educational institutions. The administration's measure to declare numerous institutions as tobacco-free zones and conduct intensive enforcement drives in collaboration with the police department also came in for commendation, the press note added. According to the release, the highlights of the campaign in Puducherry also included the establishment of 20 new tobacco cessation centres across medical and dental colleges and primary and community health centres. Awareness programmes were also carried out across schools, colleges, and communities. The Department of Health and Family Welfare Services appreciated the sustained efforts of the District Collectorate, Police department, Education department, Social Welfare department, medical and dental colleges, field-level health workers, community health volunteers, and partner organisations for helping achieve the award.
