Pondy govt 'let down' by Centre: Narayanasamy over financial

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy today charged the Centre with "letting down" the Union Territory by not extending financial assistance to the territorial government to tide over its current fiscal crisis.
Addressing party workers at a function here, the Chief Minister said, "They (Centre) promised me at the meetings in Delhi that assistance sought would be released, but nothing has happened which only confirms that the Centre is letting down Puducherry," he rued.
Narayanasamy further said the immediate commitment for his government was payment of Rs 170 crores to the Centre, as interest component for the loans received over the years.

"As much as Rs 6,500 crores remained due from the Puducherry government to the Centre as loan borrowed over the last several years.. the interest burden has now come to stare at us and we have to clear it immediately," he said.
There were also other commitments arising out of implementation of the Central Pay Commission for the staff and workers in Puducherry, he added.
On the outcome of Gujarat Assembly polls, the senior Congress leader said the election results would prove to be a "turning point and the BJP which is already suffering a decline in its sway over the people would bite the dust in Gujarat."

He also exuded confidence that Congress would win the polls with massive support of the electorate there.

Narayanasamy alleged that the demonetisation and GST measures of the NDA government had irked the people.
"Traders, businessmen, youth and others have come to realise their mistake of having supported BJP in previous Lok Sabha elections and they are all disillusioned," he said.
Chief Minister and others cut a massive cake outside the PCC office to mark the celebration of the birthday of party President Sonia Gandhi.