Union Territory taking steps for statehood: CM

Talking to newspersons, Mr Vaithilingam said he held talks with the Prime Minister in this regard and the centre was making efforts to introduce the Bill in this respect in the Winter Session of Parliament.

To implement the Re one ticket for school students, the administration, on PPP mode, would introduce 50 buses for school children.

Another 40 buses would be purchased under the JNNRUM Scheme for Puducherry and Karaial Regions of the Union Territory.

Reports on the criticism of his government for its expenditure for snacks, which appeared in a section of the press, Mr Vaithilingam said the expenditure could not be avoided since the governemnt had to show hospitality. He, however, said in the past the expenditure with the Chief Minister's Office alone was Rs 58 lakh and now the expenditure of the Office of the Council of Minsters (OCM) was only Rs 60 lakh.

''Moreover,if we need to get funds for some departments, we will have to go to Delhi and exert pressure,'' he pointed out.

The Chief Minister said the government had released funds to the first year MBBS and engineering students, who were selected through the Centralized Admission Committee.

A sum of Rs 4.40 crore was also released to the second year students numbering 1,284.

In order to undertake speedy rain relief works, a committee under the District Collector was already constituted and the village panchayats provided with petty cash of Rs 5,000.

-- (UNI) -- 05MS18.xml

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