Puducherry celebrates 64th De Facto Liberation day

Listing the achievements of the Union Territory after it became free from French rule in 1954, the Chief Minister said the territorial administration had spared no steps to ameliorate the living standards of the poor and downtrodden.

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy Thursday said the territorial government has embarked on a documentation of idols, jewellery and properties belonging to temples in the Union Territory. Addressing celebrations of the 64th De Facto Liberation day of Puducherry, he said steps were also taken to ensure the safety of properties attached to temples.

His statement comes in the wake of recovery of stolen idols of Hindu temples in neighbouring Tamil Nadu recently and the crackdown on those involved in its theft by the state's idol wing police. Listing the achievements of the Union Territory after it became free from French rule in 1954, the Chief Minister said the territorial administration had spared no steps to ameliorate the living standards of the poor and downtrodden. As part of efforts to boost tourism, he announced setting up of a coastal museum in Manapet village near here at a cost of Rs 350 crores.

Detailing various welfare schemes for the SC and ST, he said his government operated 24 schemes for their benefit. The implementation of the Prime minister Awas Yojana and the Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi Housing scheme had resulted in housing facilities for 5,778 families belonging to Adi Dravidar community since 2016, he noted.

Later, the Chief Minister handed cash award of Rs 25,000 to each of 13 police personnel who had successfully busted the inter-State ATM fraud case recently. Earlier, Narayanasamy unfurled the national flag kick-starting the celebrations of the Liberation Day. Speaker V Vaithilingam, Ministers, legislators, Chief Secretary Ashwin Kumar, Director General of Police S Sundari Nanda and a large number of freedom fighters were among those present. The celebration was marked by cultural events and march past by police and other contingents.

(With inputs from agencies.)