Kiran Bedi stresses on need to reduce debt as expenses go up by 11.7%

PUDUCHERRY: The

new industrial policy

unveiled in 2016 by the Puducherry government has attracted projects with proposed investment of Rs 178 crore, said lt governor Kiran Bedi while delivering the customary address ahead of the budget session on Monday.

Puducherry Industrial Promotion, Development and Investment Corporation (Pipdic) has approved 121 projects and allocated 183 acres of land, 17 industrial sheds and seven plots with the investment proposal of Rs 620 crore, which will generate employment for 2,440 people in the Union territory, she said.

Bedi said the Union government, which selected Puducherry under the smart city proposal, has released Rs 98 crore in the present financial year. The Union government has also sanctioned Rs 66 crore under heritage circuit and Rs 41 crore under spiritual circuit through the flagship scheme, ‘Swadesh darshan’ in the present fiscal year.

“This will help Puducherry and its outlying regions to preserve its heritage value and enhance the spiritual atmosphere apart from attracting tourists,” she said, adding that Puducherry witnessed a growth of 9.5% in tourist arrivals in the calendar year 2017 compared to the previous year.

She said Puducherry stands first among the Union territories and second in all India level in infant mortality rate, which is 10 per 1,000 live births against the national-level ratio of 34 per 1,000 live births.

“The key indicators attained by this Union territory under health sector are very commendable. 99.98% are institutional deliveries out of 41,480 deliveries. The number of severely malnourished under 5-year children is 0.02% in the UT and moderately malnourished children is 0.1%,” she said.

Similarly, Puducherry stands first with a least HIV prevalence rate of 0.2%. “The HIV prevalence rate in the country is 2.69%. This Union territory ranked first in achieving zero prevalence in HIV as per the HIV sentinels surveillance done by Naco in 2017 for ante-natal women,” she said.

Bedi sounded the warning bell pointing out that the anticipated expenditure during the current financial year would be Rs 2,334 crore, which is 11.67% higher than last year’s expenditure. “This Union territory is facing financial constraints due to servicing of past debt. Now there is an urgent need to reduce our

debt burden

and hon’ble members will certainly appreciate the need for austerity measures,” she said.

The government declared Puducherry and Karaikal regions as drought-hit following deficit and uneven rainfall and inadequate receipt of Cauvery water. The government disbursed Rs 13 crore towards inputs subsidy to the affected farmers as per NDRF norms, she said.

Bedi said the government has completely waived the farmers’ loans to the extent of Rs 19 crore, benefitting 4,908 farmers.

Citing a report of the Union human resources development ministry which placed Puducherry in the fifth position in the country in higher education, she said the UT has emerged as a hub in the field.