Pondy CM launches portal for entrepreneurs

Later, talking to news persons, the Chief Minister claimed that after the Congress-DMK government came to power in 2016, it had evolved a new Industrial policy and many entrepreneurs had shown keen interest in investing in the UT since an industrial conducive atmosphere prevailed here.

The entrepreneurs sought adequate land from the government and when steps were taken for the same it was delayed due to the Demonetization and GST, Narayanasamy added.

He said now more than 700 applications for setting up small and medium industrial units were received and land was provided in some cases in Puducherry and Karaikal areas. Construction works are on in some cases, he said, adding that 600 industries expressed to shift their industrial units to Puducherry from Tamil Nadu.

The Chief Minister also said that when he attended a conference in Dubai a few days back, nearly 1,000 Tamils and Malayalees in Dubai had approached him with interest to invest in Puducherry. They have shown interest in investing from Rs 20 crore to Rs 100 crore as per their capacity, he added. The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has also sought land in Karaikal to set up their refinery and these industrial units would ensure job opportunities here, Narayanasamy said.

Denying that there is drinking water scarcity in rural Puducherry, the Chief Minister said that there was insufficient supply in Eripakkam and Konerikuppam villages and orders were issued to rectify it forthwith. He said in some areas, saline water intrusion is there and otherwise, there is no water scarcity in urban or rural Puducherry.

However, the administration in a bid to provide proper drinking water to the people is contemplating a Rs 500 crore project. It was proposed to take ground water from Uravayar area under the project. However, there was some problems with the farmers in the area and hence, it was decided to utilize a part of ground water for drinking water purpose and the rest by setting up desalination plant.

To a question, he said that the Central government had given permission to Vedanta and ONGC to take Hydrocarbon. The ONGC was given permission to take it from Puducherry.

The Chief Minister said ONGC has to approach the state government for permission and added nod would not be given since, it would affect the livelihood of farmers and fishermen in the UT, he said.

Narayanasamy said that he had already written to the Prime Minister and Union Petroleum Minister to cancel the deal and added that he will meet them in person and insist for the same. The Chief Minister said Puducherry is not availing any benefit under GST and added that there is no benefit for ‘manufacturing’ states.

In a bid to conduct a paperless house session in the territorial assembly and to digitize it, the Assembly Secretariat has proposed to provide training to its staff. Legislative Assembly Secretary Vincent Rayar in a release on Wednesday said that the staff would be provided training in this regard on Thursday and Friday. Cabinet Ministers and legislators would take part in the inaugural session tomorrow, the release added.