Puducherry: Demands for devolution of more powers and full statehood for the union territory appeared yet again following an official resolution adopted in the Puducherry House.
The coming year may see elected representatives of civic bodies taking up the devolution plan in a more forceful manner.
Last year, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Union Panchayati Raj Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar and Chief Minister N Rangasamy, raising the hopes of the representative civic bodies that they would get more financial and administrative powers.
However, nothing concrete came out of the MoU. The MoU could only envisage formation of district-level committees.
The local bodies' representatives feel that the MoU has been kept in cold storage in the absence of any follow-up action by the territorial government.
On the economic and industrial front, the Rangasamy-led government was able to implement the value added tax from July 1 in the wake of an ordinance issued by Lt Governor on June 2.
The Chief Minister's Rs 2858.68 crore budget outlined programmes for many socio-economic development projects in the union territory.
The government signed an agreement with the Tamil Nadu government over sharing of Pennayar river water at Sornavar dam. Another important agreement was signed with the National Thermal Power Corporation for augmenting power supply to the local industries.
Agitation by local farmers against the Thengaithittu Deep Sea Port Project intensified following social activist Medha Patkar's visit on May 17.
Puducherry's foreign links came to the fore when French nationals, registered with the Consul General of France here voted for the French Presidential Polls in April and May.
Bureau Report
