Our intention not to lock horns with Lt Guv: Pondy Min

The Narayanasamy government here is not for any confrontation with Lt Governor Kiran Bedi, but she should function in tandem with it for the overall development of the Union Territory, Puducherry Welfare Minister M Kandasamy said here today.
Talking to reporters here, Kandasamy said, "Our (elected ministry) intention is not to lock horns with Lt Governor Kiran Bedi, but to ensure that welfare schemes meant for the poor and the have nots are implemented without any hiccups."
He also stressed that the Lt Governor should also function "pro actively and in tandem with the elected ministry facilitating overall development of Puducherry."

Already the fiscal position of Puducherry government "is very critical impacting welfare programmes, so let us concentrate on such issues cohesively," he said.
The directives of the Centre to make payments including financial assistance under welfare schemes to beneficiaries through electronic mode was also causing "hardship to the poor and have-nots," he claimed.
"Can the poor families draw cash from banks as they are bereft of accounts and are not in a position to go in for digital mode of withdrawal of money," the Minister asked.
The officers of various departments here were also "in a sorry predicament" as they were unable to take a decision as to whose orders they should adhere to, whether those of the Ministry or of the Lt Governor, he added.

The friction in ties between Bedi and the Puducherry government came after the former cancelled the Narayanasamy's January 2 order banning use of social media for official communication even as she (Bedi) was pushing with her plan to promote WhatsApp communication by office.