Puducherry's 2018-19 budget requirement evaluated at Rs 7,530 cr

The budget requirement of the Union Territory of Puducherry for the 2018-2019 fiscal is Rs 7,530 crore, as evaluated by the State Planning Board.

The Puducherry Assembly, which had a one-day interim budget session on March 26, had adopted a vote on account bill, earmarking funds for the first four months (April to July) of the financial year 2018-2019, as no full fledged budget could be presented then.

Lt Governor Kiran Bedi, the chairman of the State Planning Board, after presiding over a meeting yesterday which was addressed by Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, ministers and other top officials, told reporters that the government could pay committed bills till the end of the last financial year at the cost of certain essential areas like civic amenities.

In her WhatsApp message to reporters, Bedi said that she has asked officers to place policy and financial issues before the Cabinet for timely resolution.

She said the Cabinet must meet more often and take calibrated risks to address policy and financial issues, inform people the role they can play in sanitation, safety, skill learning, sustainable agriculture and public health which would save resources and enable more quality service to the public.

Bedi informed reporters that she has assured the participants of the meeting that in the conference of Governors slated to be held on June 1, she would urge the Centre to include Union Territory of Puducherry in the 15th Central Finance Commission and bear the pension expenses as in Delhi.

The Lt Governor said that she would urge the Centre to ensure full funding for centrally sponsored schemes in Puducherry as is the case with other Union Territories.

Bedi said that she would urge the Centre to establish a High Court Bench in Puducherry, waive the legacy loan of Rs 7,000 crores (accumulated loan), set up a family court and a CBI court in Puducherry.

The Lt Governor said that she urged the chief minister and also tasked the chief secretary to bring out a vision document for Puducherry and Karaikal regions for the next 10 years.