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Centre may introduce Bill

PUDUCHERRY: The Union government is planning to introduce a Bill in the budget session of Parliament to grant statehood to the Union Territory, Union Minister of State for Planning, Parliamentary Affairs and Culture V. Narayanasamy said here on Saturday.

“Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is keen on granting statehood to Puducherry. The government is contemplating to introduce the Bill in the budget session. Then it has to go to the Standing Committee on Home Affairs,” he said at a press conference.

To a query on the fate of the Kariakal, Mahe and Yanam regions when the Union Territory is given statehood, he said, “it is up to the government to decide.” When pointed out that Daman and Diu was given Union Territory status at the time of granting statehood to Goa, he said, “we will accept statehood only if all the regions are together. Status quo should be maintained.”

The proposed National Institute of Technology would be established at Karaikal, he said, adding that the territorial administration was of the view that this would help the region to progress. “Already we have established a port and now Thirunallar temple town development work is fast progressing,” he added.

The territorial administration needs to incur only the expenditure towards acquisition of land. The Union government would be spending around Rs. 300 crore to develop infrastructure, Mr. Narayanasamy said.

The Union government has agreed to provide Rs. 60 crore to establish a Special Economic Zone exclusively for Information Technology companies. Ten acres of land have been identified at Lawspet for IT SEZ, he said, adding that once it starts functioning, the existing IT and IT-enabled companies could be shifted to the SEZ.

On the status of the proposed SEZ at Karasur, he said the Home Ministry had to approve transfer of 22 acres of land to the promoter.

Mr. Narayanasamy said a team from the National Textile Corporation would shortly visit the Union Territory to study the requirements towards modernising all the mills. The team would submit a report to the Union Ministry of Textiles, he added.

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