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Ramadoss seeks "B One" status for Pondicherry

Special Correspondent

Writes to Prime Minister on this issue

Pondicherry: The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) Parliamentary party leader M. Ramadoss has urged the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to use his good offices to confer "B One" or "B Two" status on Pondicherry.

Mr. Ramadoss said Pondicherry had been a "C class" city for the last 51 years in spite of phenomenal progress in various sectors. He said non-population criteria offered necessary qualifications for Pondicherry to get the B One or B Two status as the same factors were adopted for Port Blair and for Panaji city to confer the status. When clubbed with Pondicherry city the population would exceed five lakh. The high cost of living, increase in flow of tourists into Pondicherry and substantial economic and educational progress are the other factors that strengthened the demand.

Mr. Ramadoss said he had also informed the Prime Minister that the Union Home Ministry had recommended according such a status on Pondicherry to the Union Finance Ministry. But the Union Finance Minister refused to concede the demand on the ground that Pondicherry city did not have an urban population of five lakh.

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