Pondy Assembly adjourns sine die after adopting Vote on Account

The Puducherry Assembly on Thursday passed the Vote on Account earmarking Rs 4,634 crores to the government departments to meet their expenditure in the first five months during the fiscal 2024-2025.

The Assembly met for 65 minutes today and after transacting the scheduled business the speaker adjourned the House sine die.

Chief Minister N Rangasamy, holding Finance portfolio, tabled the motion for vote on Account for the incoming fiscal which was adopted by the House. The House sanctioned Rs 4,634 crores to the departments for five months from April to August of the fiscal 2024-2025.

The House also passed supplementary demands for grant of Rs 928 crores to the government departments for 2023-2024.

The Puducherry Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (Exemption from approvals to commence business) Bill 2024 tabled by the Home and Industries Minister A Namassivayam was also passed during the session amidst protest by the opposition.

Leader of Opposition R Siva who led the protest against passing of the Bill in 'lightning speed' said the House should hold the session for a good number of days so that ''we would be able to air views on the government's industrial policy''.

''The House should therefore have a session for a considerable number of days to discuss the woes of entrepreneurs instead of having a day`s meeting and passing such crucial bills in a virtually hasty manner,'' he added.

The House passed the Puducherry Town and Country Planning (Amendment) bill tabled by the Chief Minister. The Bill aimed at enabling people to get the construction of the buildings regularized under one time measure.

Earlier, the House adopted a condolence resolution relating to the demise of former Speaker of the territorial assembly P Kannan, who died on November 5 last year after brief illness.

The Home Minister and members belonging to the ruling and opposition blocks paid rich tributes to Kannan and recalled their close association him. DMK leader Siva appealed to the government to install a statue of Kannan at a prominent place and also name a government school or a street after the veteran.

All the members stood in silence for a couple of minutes in memory of Kannan.

The Speaker R Selvam made obituary references to the death of agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan, actor-turned-politician Vijayakanth, CPI (M) leader and veteran freedom fighter N Sankariah, spiritual leader Bangaru Adigalar and former Judge of Supreme Court Justice M Fatima Beevi.

All the members belonging to opposition Congress and DMK staged a walk out of the House in protest against holding the session for a brief period instead of holding it for a few days as ''several issues of the people called for a detailed discussion''. The members returned to the House a few minutes later and participated in the proceedings.

Chandrapriyanga (AINRC), who was removed from the CM Rangasamy led AINRC-BJP coalition ministry as Transport Minister in October last year was conspicuous by her absence at today's meeting. She, however, continues to be legislator representing Neduncadu segment in Karaikal.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)