Rangasamy reiterates demand for statehood for Puducherry

Puducherry Chief Minister N.Rangasamy today again demanded full statehood for Puducherry.
He was felicitating the freedom fighters of Puducherry on the occasion of celebration of Puducherry's 53rd De Jure Transfer day here.
The Chief Minister said want of powers in the present constitutional status of Union Territory had been a blockade for the elected government to fulfil its plans and programmes.
On plea for hike in monthly pension under a government scheme to freedom fighters, he said he had already written to the Centre for the hike from the present Rs 5000 to Rs 7000.
He said the government had now decided to observe November 1 every year from this year as a public holiday and to also observe the day as a liberation day of Puducherry.

It was on November 1, 1954 that Puducherry and the other regions of Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam merged with the Indian union de facto in the wake of referendum held in October that year for merger of these then French establishments.
De facto merger was followed by de jure transfer of power on August 16, 1962 following the Treaty inked between the then French and Indian governments after the referendum.