UPA govt creating fiscal crisis for Pondy govt, says CPI

PUDUCHERRY: CPI's Puducherry unit today charged the Congress led UPA government at the Centre with creating a financial crisis for Puducherry government through various disturbing fiscal measures and taxation policies.

Addressing reporters here, Secretary of Puducherry State council of CPI R Viswanathan said statehood was the only solution for Puducherry to overcome all hurdles the Centre is causing.

He said the Centre had reduced its grants to 30 per cent against 70 pe rcent available for Puducherry in the past since its merger.Similarly the Centre had effected amendments to the Government of Union Territories Act to increase debt burden.

Stating that the accumulated loans from Centre to Puducherry totaling Rs 4800 crores should be waived, he said CPI had formed a Council to mobilize people`s opinion and for joint action to persuade the Centre to grant statehood.

Viswanathan said the number of IAS and IPS officers was far more than the needed strength.

Expressing shock over the 77 per cent rise in population in the last 10 years ending 2011 in Yanam region, he said this was perhaps the highest number in the country as a whole. This meant there was a vast influx of people from other states, which shold be reviewed by official team.

He said Chief Minister N.Rangasamy should strongly oppose the Centre's decision to disinvest shares in Neyveli Lignite Corporation as Puducherry gets a major share of power from NLC. If he continued remaining silent, it would only show he has a 'hidden agenda' of having truck with Congress.

He said government should follow the example of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, who had firmly opposed the disinvement step of the centre.