Pondy to get Rs. 100 Cr For Roads, Flyovers: MoS.

Union Minister of State (MoS) for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan recently expressed doubts on the financial sustainability of Puducherry, when asked about granting statehood to the Union Territory.

The Minister who is in Puducherry to participate in a function to mark the first anniversary of the NDA Government at the Centre said that Rs 100 crore would be provided for construction of roads and flyovers in Puducherry.

A proposal for construction of a flyover linking Rajiv Gandhi Square with Indira Gandhi Square at an estimated cost of Rs. 100 crore is before the ministry, he told newsmen.

Puducherry Port would be included in the Sagaramla programme of the Ministry for development, he said.

In reply to queries, he said that the Lt Governor and the Chief Secretary would be appointed in due course, and added that the government did not want to rush into decisions.

The Minister said that the East Coast road linking Chennai with Kanyakumari would be converted into a four-lane road and would be taken up for approval of the State governments, since it is not a national highway.

Radhakrishnan said that the Modi government had made great strides in almost all sectors in one year and kept the promises he made in his Independence Day speech.

Modi took over the reins of the country at a time when the country was going through worst of times. Economy was in shambles, inflation and price rise at its peak, farmers in dire distress and atrocities against women on the rise. Within an year all these are reversed. Economic growth has touched 7 per cent from earlier 5 per cent, and inflation dropped from 10 per cent to 5 per cent, he said.

Dismissing the Congress charge on tweaking the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Pon Radhakrishnan said that the government had earmarked Rs. 40,000 crore for the MGNREGA scheme to provide water facilities to farmers and work for agricultural labourers through deepening of water bodies.

Under Prime Minister's Jan Dhan Yojana, the financial inclusion scheme, 15 crore bank accounts have been opened since its launch in August with a deposit of Rs. 16,000 crore. He stated that it had been lauded by World Bank president as a record achievement.

He also recalled how Modi had made it clear during his visit to Sri Lanka that the Tamils should not only be assured of their rights, but also be allowed to live in dignity. The Minister also pointed out that the initiative taken by the Prime Minister had led to saving the lives of five fishermen from Tamil Nadu from the gallows.

Radhakrishnan defended the Land Acquisition Bill. The 1894 Act needed amendment to keep up with times and ensure country’s development.

He said the Government's general policy is not to acquire agricultural lands for private parties.


THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS