PUDUCHERRY: The DMK, which is eyeing an alliance with the AINRC, on Thursday advised Chief Minister N Rangasamy who heads the AINRC-led NDA government in Puducherry, to reconsider his alliance with the BJP. The Opposition asserted the alliance does not benefit the UT’s residents. This comment also comes in the wake of meagre Budget allocation of Central Assistance (CA) to Puducherry second year in a row.
According to AMH Nazeem, former health minister and Karaikal Secretary of DMK, the CA in the Union Budget for 2022-2023 is practically the same as in 2021-2022. The Centre allocated Rs 1,879 crore for Puducherry in 2022-2023 which in reality is Rs 1725 crore as `154 croresis arrears to be paid to employees. This is therefore the same CA of Rs 1724.77 crore as in the current year
The CA is just Rs 26.77 crore more than Rs 1698 in 2020-21, denoting a hike of 1.58 per cent over previous year (during the tenure of the Congress government led by V Narayanasamy). It seems the Centre is not bothered about Puducherry, said Nazim. Though there has been promises to include Puducherry under the purview of Central Finance Commission (CFC) — which recommends the quantum of CA to States and UTs —-nothing has been done so far.
Even the newly-created UT of Jammu and Kashmir was included in the CFC by a special amendment of the Constitution, added Nazim. Despite sending a team to assess flood damages, the CG has not released even a paisa for relief, Nazeem pointed out. “Where have the electoral promises of the double-engine government (same NDA government at Centre and State) for development gone?,” Nazeem asked.