PUDUCHERRY: Chief Minister N Rangasamy on Friday said the Statehood issue will be pursued vigorously with the Centre and expressed hope that the BJP government at the Centre would grant full Statehood status to the Union Territory.
Interacting with journalists after launching a portal of the Government School Teachers Federation of Union Territory, Rangasamy said he would shortly lead a delegation of MLAs and leaders of all political parties to New Delhi and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and reiterate the need to grant Statehood. Rangasamy said he had already made a representation to Prime Minister and Union Home Minister in this regard when he called on them at New Delhi last month. Further, several resolutions adopted in the Assembly urging the Centre to grant Statehood by different government has also been cited. He said the need to waive loans, and enhance Central financial assistance will also be taken up with the Centre.
Meanwhile, speaking on the rice scheme, Rangasamy said, “The distribution of free rice scheme would be revived next month. The tender for procuring rice will be floated on July 2 and after procurement, four month’s pending rice will be provided to all ration card holders.”
He said the admission of students in Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute will materialise and expressed confidence of getting approval from Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The government has appointed 60 faculty members to vacant posts and said that he had met the Union health secretary and submitted the compliance report.
Citing that his government had improved the financial position in the last three years, the CM said as much as `67 crore had been disbursed so far for all CENTAC sponsored students in the private colleges. Further, `8 crore is alloted for infrastructure development.