PUDUCHERRY: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) sought a preliminary project report from the Puducherry government on its proposal for providing a special grant for constructing a new Integrated Legislative Assembly-cum-Administrative complex here. The UT government approached the Centre for Rs 335 crore in two installments for the building at Thattanchavady in Ourgaret municipal limits.
This is in response to a letter on April 24 to Union Home Minister Amit Shah from Speaker of Legislative Assembly R Selvam, and an earlier letter to the Ministry from the UT government in January. According to the Speaker, the government is in the process of appointing a consultant for the preliminary project report. Nine people have been shortlisted and three will be finalised, he added. These three will prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of which one will be selected and sent to the MHA, said Selvam adding that it will certainly be sent before September this year.
On May 6, Second in Command of the UT-Division of MHA Ravi Ranjan wrote a letter to Speaker and Chief Secretary that the ministry awaits the revised preliminary project report. "For making the provision for the funds, the requirement of Special Central assistance has to be projected during September-October 2022. This is when the Ministry of Finance issues a circular for formulation of revised estimates for 2022-2023 and Budget estimates for 2023-2024," said Ranjan. He advised the government to provide the report at the earliest to take necessary action.
The UT sought special Central assistance -- Rs 200 crore in 2022-23 and Rs135 crore in 2023-24 -- for construction of the complex , said Selvam. The proposal is for a 12-storied building in the French architectural style to house the Legislative Assembly, offices of ministers, MLAs Chief Secretariat, and other government offices. Government land of 15 acres is available in Thattanchavady. Of this, 5 acres will be utilised for the Integrated complex. The total area proposed is 6,00,000 sq.ft, Selvam told TNIE.
The existing Assembly is housed in an old medical college building dating back to the French time. The government maintains the space does not meet the functioning requirements. Due to inadequate space, the present Assembly building is congested with partitions and lacks a free working atmosphere.