CM voices concern over pace of work under smart city plan in Puducherry

Puducherry, Dec 4 PTI Chief Minister of Puducherry N Rangasamy on Saturday voiced concern over what he called sluggish progress of work under the Smart City plan in Puducherry.Delivering the valedictory address of a day-long conclave of stakeholders of tourism organised by Department of Tourism of Puducherry government here, the Chief Minister said the plan had received Rs 1,000 crore as fund with the contribution from the Centre and the Puducherry government.

Puducherry, Dec 4 (PTI): Chief Minister of Puducherry N Rangasamy on Saturday voiced concern over what he called sluggish progress of work under the Smart City plan in Puducherry.

Delivering the valedictory address of a day-long conclave of stakeholders of tourism organised by Department of Tourism of Puducherry government here, the Chief Minister said the plan had received Rs 1,000 crore as fund with the contribution from the Centre and the Puducherry government. ''There could have been an excellent outcome had this funds been used fully. But I felt sad after taking charge some months ago that the plan had been executed at an expenditure of Rs 60 crore only,'' he said and called for speedy implementation of the plan.

''Because of my persuasion, the machinery in charge of implementation of the smart city plan had geared up developmental schemes at a cost of around Rs 200 crore,'' he said adding that the earlier allocation of Rs 1,000 crore should have been made use of. ''Puducherry would have emerged as an ideal place if that money was used. There is a need to gear up the work,'' he said.

Stating that tourism was the only avenue for Puducherry government to generate revenue, he said Puducherry was under the control of the Centre because of its constitutional status. ''The earmarking of grants by the Centre is insufficient. We have been insisting upon the Centre to set apart 90 per cent of funds as its support for our budget requirements as was done earlier. The allocation now is insufficient,'' he said. ''The territorial government is now consequently constrained to promote tourism,'' he said.

He said roads were bad in Puducherry. PWD should come out with speedy measures to repair the roads battered by rains. ''Roads are the first focus for the tourists and Puducherry will be in good reckoning if only the roads are in proper condition,'' he said.

He said there was an increased demand for accommodation of the tourists. ''We need 2,000 more rooms and this should be ensured at the earliest,'' he said adding that incentives available in the past for the hoteliers should be revived.

The day-long conclave was inaugurated by Lieutenant Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan.

PWD and Tourism Minister K Lakshminarayanan was among those who spoke.

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