PUDUCHERRY: Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Saturday urged the Centre to confer statehood to Puducherry UT. Speaking during the virtual meeting of the NITI Aayog being chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, Narayanasamy said that he has also sought inclusion of Puducherry in 15th Central Finance Commission, the release of arrears for implementing the VIIth pay Commission.
Observing that the central component of finance for Centrally sponsored schemes has gone down to 60 per cent, with the UT having to pay the remaining 40 per cent, Narayanasmy urged the centre to enhance the central component to 90percent, while the state share to 10 per cent for the implementation of such schemes.
Further, he urged the centre to provide finance for payment of pension to retired government employees in the UT, in a similar way given to Delhi government for its retired employees.