Chief Minister N Rangaswamy on Wednesday demanded the statehood of Puducherry while speaking in the Legislative Assembly. He said full statehood is their right and added that action is being taken over it.
He also said that the Puducherry government employees will be paid a minimum wage of Rs 10,000 per month and the martyrs’ pension will be increased from Rs 9,000 to Rs 10,000.
In August, Rangasamy had said that he will take up the issue of the statehood for Puducherry with Prime Minister Narendra Modi before calling on him next week.
According to sources, he wanted to request the prime minister either to accord statehood or amend the Union Territories Act, 1963, allowing more powers to the elected representatives and officers down the line.
The issue of full statehood of Puducherry has been a long-pending demand and was a key issue in the elections this year as well.
In the 2016 Assembly polls, the Congress had promised full statehood to Puducherry. DMK chief Stalin had targetted PM Modi before the elections and questioned why he did not make any reference to the full statehood for Puducherry.
“The Prime Minister has not made any announcement on grant of statehood for Puducherry and also a waiver of loans totalling Rs 8,600 crore due from the Union Territory to the Centre,” Stalin had said.
Meanwhile, in another news from Puducherry, Embalam R Selvam suffered a mild heart attack and was hospitalised on Tuesday morning. This happened when he was on his way to the legislative assembly which is in session. Selvam was admitted to the Government general hospital where the ECG report found that there was a slight variation in his heart waves.
