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The Hindu
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Former Puducherry CM questions Speaker over projected cost of proposed Assembly complex
Former Puducherry Chief Minister and Congress leader V. Narayanasamy on Friday (June 6, 2025) questioned Speaker R. Selvam for projecting a huge sum of ₹675 crore for the government's proposal to build a new Assembly complex in the Union Territory (UT). 'The Speaker has projected such a high figure with ulterior motives. For the geographical size and present strength of the Assembly (30 elected and three nominated MLAs), the amount is disproportionately huge. Public money cannot be utilised for lavish expenditure. The projected amount could be used for public good,' he said, addressing a press conference in the UT. The Speaker had claimed that the Chief Secretary was putting obstacles in the way of the ₹675-crore project, he said, adding that Mr. Selvam had been pursuing the project for constructing a new Assembly complex since the day he assumed office. 'A few months after Mr. Selvam assumed office, he had told the media that Union Home Minister Amit Shah will lay the foundation for the complex. At that time, he had projected ₹300 crore for the Assembly complex and now, it has gone up to ₹675 crore. During our tenure, we had proposed the construction of a new Assembly at a cost of ₹200 crore, and many States in the Northeast have constructed new Assemblies for around ₹200 crore,' he said. He also questioned Mr. Selvam for his remarks that Chief Minister N. Rangasamy skipped the NITI Aayog meeting in New Delhi as he generally 'avoided' taking a flight. The Speaker had also said that on the day of NITI Aayog meeting, the Chief Minister had to 'perform puja' at his temple in Gorimedu. 'Mr. Selvam, as a representative of the CM, gave these two reasons for Mr. Rangasamy's absence from the NITI Aayog meeting. The reasons cited by the Speaker sound flimsy and are laughable. The Chief Minister has insulted the people of Puducherry by skipping such an important meeting, where he could have raised Statehood issue and other important subjects concerning the UT,' he said. Responding to Mr. Rangasamy's decision to skip a question on the future of AINRC-BJP alliance during a recent press conference, the Congress leader said Mr. Rangasamy seems disinterested in continuing the alliance with the BJP. 'If he decides to break the alliance with the BJP, the Chief Minister's AINRC will vanish from the political landscape of Puducherry. He will not have the courage to break the alliance,' he said. The Congress was fully prepared to face the next Assembly elections with confidence, he added.
The Hindu
26-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Thrust on modernising solid waste disposal and sanitary worker safety, says CM
The government is prioritising modernisation of solid waste disposal measures and improving the health safety of sanitary workers while maintaining a clean Puducherry, Chief Minister N. Rangasamy said on Monday. Inaugurating a skill development workshop for sanitation workers on preventing hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks in urban local bodies under the joint auspices of the Oulgaret Municipality and Genrobotic Innovations firm, Mr. Rangasamy said identifying a landfill for accumulating solid waste collected from across the city had been a vexed issue as residents objected to dumping of garbage anywhere near their neighbourhoods. This had necessitated the advocacy of a zero-waste policy with an industry-scale and technology-driven approach to solid waste disposal and efforts were now aimed at the same-day disposal of collected and segregated waste at the Kurumbapet landfill. The workshop was held under the NAMASTE (National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem) central sector scheme of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment aimed at ensuring the dignity, safety, and social and economic empowerment of sanitation workers, specifically those engaged in cleaning sewers and septic tanks. Noting that many sanitation sector workers died young, the Chief Minister said in cognisance of the hazardous nature of their work, the government has been providing jobs to the next of kin on compassionate grounds of employees of municipalities and commune panchayats. Soon, jobs would be provided on compassionate grounds to the next of kin from around 200 families of the Pondicherry Municipality, he said. The Chief Minister said the underground sewerage network was being expanded and the process of treating-discharging sewage has reached more areas. An estimated 90% of the work is over. Work is also under way to repair blockages in the underground sewers in the city. When such blockages occur and are repaired, there is a risk of toxic gas attack on the sanitation workers. The administration was keen to adopt new innovations such as robotic machines to sewage extraction and removing blockages in underground sewers to reduce health risk to humans, he said. Mr. Rangasamy also called for adequate protective gear to be provided to sanitary workers who are engaged on a contractual basis. The municipal authorities need to ensure this, he said. K. Lakshminarayanan, Public Works Minister, AK Sai J. Saravanankumar, Adi Dravidar Welfare Minister, Prabhat Kumar Singh, Managing Director, National SafaiKaramchari Finance Development Corporation (NSKFDC), A. Suresh Raj, Oulgaret Commissioner, and Rashid K., Director of Genroboic Innovations, participated. Later, during the awareness sessions on the occupational hazards involved in cleaning sewage and septic tanks. a demonstration was given on engaging a robot for cleaning operations, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and the safe use of PPE equipment such as gloves, face mask and toxic gas leak detector.
The Hindu
25-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Puducherry CM should lead fight for Statehood against the Centre, says CPI
The CPI has demanded that Chief Minister N. Rangasamy come to the forefront in Puducherry's fight for Statehood, and be willing to sacrifice the alliance with the BJP for the cause if his avowed stand on the issue has sincerity of intent. In a resolution passed at a meeting of the party State committee, the CPI said while the demand for Statehood has been a long-held aspiration of the people and taken up by political parties across the spectrum, it is the respective Chief Ministers who had been in the forefront of the fight. If the Chief Minister is interested in securing Statehood, he should come to the forefront in the fight against the Centre by leaving the BJP alliance, which refuses to grant Statehood, the resolution said. The resolution pointed out that the Centre had, in a recent session of Parliament, clearly stated that it was not possible to grant Statehood for Puducherry, and also that no resolution passed by the Assembly in this regard had been brought to its attention. In March, Chief Minister N. Rangasamy had stated that after the Legislative Assembly in March adopted its 16th resolution seeking Statehood, he would lead an all-party delegation to Delhi to prevail upon the Centre. However, there has been no such visit, nor has the Mr. Rangasamy visited Delhi to insist on the demand. The resolution stated that continuing to ally with the BJP, which had clearly declined to grant Statehood, was tantamount to misleading the people. Other resolutions passed include seeking strengthening of anti-corruption units in government departments, given the spate of recent cases of graft where government officials were accused, the constitution of a Staff Selection Board to conduct recruitment tests to fill vacancies in government departments, and to ensure that reservation benefits are not snatched by candidates of privileged classes. Another resolution has asked the government to initiate action against private educational institutions that refuse to adhere to the free education scheme for Dalit and ST students. While the scheme, since 2020-21, benefiting SC/ST students in Puducherry, aimed to ensure that economically backward students and students pursuing higher education get quality education, some private educational institutions were refusing to accept it, the CPI said. The CPI has also reiterated its demand to establish a textile park on the land of defunct mills on a priority basis, given the huge potential for generating local jobs. Another resolution called for the withdrawal of the new norms of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on loans against pledged jewellery. K. Narayana, CPI national secretary, I. Dinesh Ponniah, National Council member, AM Saleem, State Secretary, K. Sethuselvam, assistant secretary, R. Viswanathan, former Minister, and leaders including V.S. Abishegam, Nara. Kalainathan, T. Geethanathan and participated.
The Hindu
16-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Government school students likely to get reservation benefit in admission to non-medical courses also
The government is planning to provide 10 per cent reservation for government school students in higher educational institutions in the Union Territory, Chief Minister N. Rangasamy said here on Friday. Launching the enhanced fishing ban assistance scheme at Nallavadu village, the Chief Minister said the government had already introduced 10 per cent reservation for NEET-qualified government school students in medical colleges in Puducherry. 'Similarly, we are planning to provide reservation for government school students in other courses in higher educational institutions. It is aimed at encouraging more students to join government schools,' the Chief Minister said. Mr. Rangasamy said most of the demands of the fishermen have been met after he took over the administration in 2021. 'Several schemes were relaunched and new programmes introduced. The government had cleared the enhanced fishing ban assistance scheme a week ago, but the launch took some time as the Lieutenant Governor wanted an inaugural event to be held. He is of the view that though the government initiates several schemes and programmes, they are not communicated to the people properly. The Lt. Governor was scheduled to attend the event, but he could not come due to some engagements,' the Chief Minister said. Minister for Fisheries K. Lakshminarayanan said the decision to increase the fishing ban assistance from ₹6,500 to ₹8,000 will benefit 19,175 fishermen families in the Union Territory. Of the total beneficiaries, 10,024 fishermen families reside in Puducherry region while the remaining 3,814 families are in Karaikal, 4,825 in Yanam and 512 in Mahe regions. The government would incur an expenditure of around ₹15 crore, he said. 'Not just the fishing ban assistance, the government had also increased the assistance given during rainy season and elderly pension for fishermen. The diesel subsidy has also been enhanced. The beneficiaries for welfare schemes have also gone up after we came to power. While a fisherman's family in other States and Union Territories receive a minimum of ₹8,500 as various assistance, fishermen in Puducherry get around ₹14,500. People who are not aware of the reality will only issue statements critical of the government's performance,' he said. Speaking on the occasion, Speaker R. Selvam said the government has decided to take up road works worth ₹8.5 crore under a Rural Development programme. Legislator R. Baskar Datchanamourtty and Secretary to the Lt. Governor D. Manikandan were present.
New Indian Express
14-05-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Reactivate medical financial assistance scheme: Puducherry CM tells health department
PUDUCHERRY: Reiterating the government's commitment to public health, Chief Minister N Rangasamy has directed the health department to reactivate the medical financial assistance scheme for treatment of life threatening diseases under the Puducherry Medical Relief Society(PMRS), functioning under the chief minister. At present, the government is implementing the PM-JAY under Ayushman Bharat Health insurance scheme, which is confined to poor and elderly persons. With the Universal Health Insurance scheme planned by the government covering all the people of the union territory yet to materialise, the CM has instructed for the revival of PMRS. A high-level review meeting on the progress of the Puducherry Government's health department was held on Tuesday at the Legislative Assembly under the chairmanship of the chief minister. The meeting focused on evaluating existing schemes and identifying areas needing urgent attention. CM Rangasamy directed officials to immediately fill all vacant posts in the department to improve efficiency and service delivery.
