U.T. government’s proposal to avail loan from World Bank, ADB in final stages of getting Finance Ministry’s nod, says L-G

Finance Ministry nears approval for Puducherry's ₹8,000 crore loan for infrastructure projects; Lt. Governor emphasizes medical tourism and fisheries potential.

The Finance Ministry is in the final stages of giving approval to Puducherry government’s proposal for availing loan to the tune of ₹8,000 crore from institutions such as World Bank, Asian Development Bank to implement infrastructure works in the Union Territory, Lieutenant Governor K. Kailashnathan said on Tuesday.

Participating in the Southern Regional Council meeting of the Confederation of Indian Industry in Puducherry, he said the government had proposed to avail loan from the financial institutions for carrying out infrastructure works, including drinking water and sewage management programmes with a long-term vision in mind. “It’s in the final stages of approval by the Finance Ministry,” he said.

While speaking about the potential of the Union Territory for medical tourism considering the presence of nine medical institutions in a small geographical area as that of Puducherry, he said the government was taking proactive measures, including development of airport to attract patients from foreign countries for undergoing super speciality treatment in Puducherry medical colleges.

“Considerable progress has been made in taking forward the runway expansion project and there will be some concrete announcement by October with regard to the expansion work. I have also requested private medical colleges to come up with specific areas of development to tap medical tourism potential. I think we can make inroads into former French colonies to attract people for treatment,” he said.

Recalling the earlier proposal of Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer) to establish a multi-organ transplant centre at Sedarapet, the Lt. Governor said the government had decided to give 50 acres of land to the institute for developing the facility. Later, the consent given for the land transfer was cancelled by the government, he said.

“I have requested the Cabinet to reconsider its decision to cancel the land allotment so that the project for setting up an organ transplant centre could be renewed,” Mr. Kailashnathan said.

Laying emphasis on the need for focused attention on the fisheries sector, the Lt. Governor said the Union Territory had a huge potential to develop marine economy considering the region’s vast shoreline.