PUDUCHERRY : Chief Minister N Rangasamy on Friday said that the UT government would send a fresh proposal to the Centre seeking Statehood for Puducherry and expressed hope that the Modi government would consider it.
Replying to a question raised jointly by DMK floor leader A M H Nazeem and A Anbalagan, deputy floor leader of the AIADMK, in the Assembly, Rangasamy said resolutions seeking grant of statehood for the Union Territory were adopted in the Legislative Assembly in 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 2008 and 2012, and forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs during the respective years. “The government’s intention is to secure Statehood and there is no change in that. We will again take it up with the Central Government and request the Prime Minister to concede to the Union Territory’s long-pending demand for Statehood,” said Rangasamy.
Rangasamy also said that proposals had been sent to the MHA in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011, and twice in June 2014, seeking waiver of `3,289 crore which includes a loan of `2,177 crore and `1,112 crore as interest, due from the Puducherry government to the Centre. He said once Statehood is granted, the loans and interest will be waived.