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Saturday, Mar 15, 2008
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Rangasamy vouches for Cabinet unity

Special Correspondent

“We have always been working for ensuring welfare of the people of Puducherry”

PUDUCHERRY: Chief Minister N. Rangasamy on Friday allayed apprehensions about the unity and cohesiveness of the Ministry led by him.

Replying to questions from newspersons on former Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Mukut Mithi’s appeal to the Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues to bury their differences and work for the development of the Union Territory, he said: “Even as it is, we are working with unity.” Asked if the “cohesiveness” in the Cabinet had reached a higher level after his meeting with the Ministers in New Delhi on Wednesday, he said: “We have always been working in unison for ensuring the welfare of the people of Puducherry.”

Budget session

Asked why then the Cabinet, which met on March 10, was unable to take a decision on the date of summoning the budget session of the Assembly, Mr. Rangasamy said there would be no problem in finalising the schedule.

To another query, he said there need be no doubt that the Cabinet would meet again. He expressed hope that the budget session of the Assembly would commence by the month-end. Asked if the budget for 2008-2009 would be tax-free or fresh taxes would be levied in view of Puducherry starting its own public account and the UT reportedly facing a financial crisis, he said the budget would reflect the government’s commitment to promote people’s welfare and progress of the UT.

He described his discussions with the observers of the All India Congress Committee in New Delhi as routine.

On Welfare Minister M. Kandasamy’s plea for separate budgetary allocations for implementation of the special component plan for the welfare of Adi Dravidars, the Chief Minister said the scheme would be implemented by his government as per the Centre’s guidelines.

The Congress will hold public meetings across the Union Territory to highlight the special aspects of the Union Budget, he said. The schedule would be announced after consulting the Pradesh Congress Committee chief and the high command.

Mr. Rangasamy said during his visit to New Delhi, he greeted Congress president Sonia Gandhi for efficiently leading the party for the past 10 years.

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