Puducherry, France maintaining good ties, says Minister

Puducherry Agriculture Minister R Kamalakannan on Wednesday said the former French colony has been maintaining good relations with France by executing various developmental projects.

He was inaugurating a four-day workshop here on 'local food system of Puducherry' organised by the French government administered French Institute in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare of Puducherry government.

Kamalakannan said the development of tourism and other key sectors had been emulating the systems available in France.

Appreciating the efforts of the French Institute established in Puducherry in 1955 to promote organic forming by holding the workshop, the Minister who is basically an agriculturist said the outcome of the workshop would be of benefit to farmers and also to the Union Territory as a whole.

Claiming that Puducherry had gained much because of the pro-active support the French government has been giving over the years, he said the system of municipal administration adopted in Puducherry in line with the French pattern had been of practical help.

"The French rule had given Puducherry more, particularly in the field of administration and also civic bodies, and this has been permanently nurtured by the governments post-merger," he claimed.

Director of French Institute Frederic Landy, who spoke on the occasion, highlighted the significance of the workshop.

Representatives of several non-governmental organisations and farmers outfits spoke highlighting the benefits of organic farming from the point of the health of the soil and also people consuming produce raised through organic farming.