Puducherry government to commence distribution of free rice from next month: Chief Minister

Puducherry government to distribute free rice through PDS outlets starting December, Chief Minister N. Rangasamy announces various welfare initiatives.

Chief Minister N. Rangasamy on Monday said the Puducherry government would commence distribution of monthly free rice to beneficiaries through Public Distribution System outlets from December in the Union Territory.

“Our government is committed to fulfilling all promises made to voters. During the Lok Sabha election campaign, people were demanding distribution of free rice through ration shops. We have already given 10 kg free rice and 2 kg free sugar as Deepavali gift. Now, the tender will be invited for procurement of rice before launching the monthly distribution. We are planning to start distribution of rice through PDS outlets from next month,” he said while inaugurating the revamped drinking water distribution programme at Sudhana Nagar in Mudaliarpet.

The government intended to utilise around ₹450 crore to ₹500 crore for augmenting drinking water supply in urban and rural areas of the Union Territory. Several schemes, including setting up of desalination plants, brackish water treatment plants and digging of new borewells, are being planned to provide potable water to residents, the Chief Minister said.

Mr. Rangasamy said several initiatives had been launched after the AINRC-BJP government came to power. Apart from enhancing pension amount for elderly persons and members of fishermen community and launching of new welfare programmes, the government had filled several vacancies in various departments, including Police, Education, Public Works and Electricity. 

“The vacancies had not been filled for years. The recruitment process has been going on and there had been no public complaints so far,” the Chief Minister said.

He also announced that sanction has been accorded to the release of MLA fund. In the past, the constituency development fund was not sanctioned fully, he said adding that the government had now given sanction to release ₹66 crore towards constituency development. The legislators will get ₹2 crore each for taking up infrastructure works in their Assembly segments through local bodies, Mr. Rangasamy said.

Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated a drinking water project, that included an overhead tank with a capacity of 20 lakh litre and a distribution grid. The project had been implemented at a cost of ₹35 crore. Speaker R. Selvam, Minister for Public Works K. Lakshminarayanan, legislators and officials attended the programme.