Chief Minister N Rangasamy reiterated his demand for full statehood to Puducherry to ensure speedy implementation of welfare and development programmes, here on Saturday.
He made the point during the functions organised to celebrate National Press Day and International Day for Differently-abled, by the Department of Information and Publicity and the Department of Social welfare respectively.
He said that Puducherry being a Union Territory the territorial administration had to approach Centre for formulation and approval of schemes to be implemented. Further, the UT was treated like a state with the funds from Centre declining considerably.
Despite the administration making all efforts to mobilise resources, it was insufficient to finance plan schemes, leading to borrowings and eventual heavy debt burden.
He said resolutions were adopted over several years in the Assembly requesting Centre to give full statehood to Puducherry.
On the occasion, a one-minute silence was observed in memory of the 23-year-old Delhi gang rape victim, who died at a hospital in Singapore on Saturday.