Govt to take steps to waive fishermen loans:CM

Puducherry, Apr 2(UNI) The Puducherry administration was examining ways and means to waive the loans obtained by the fishermen from the Cooperative Institutions, Chief Minister N Rangasamy told the legislative assembly today.

Intervening, Mr M O H F Shajahan, while replying to a question, Mr Rangasamy said the Government had no powers to waive the loans obtained from banks and a Rs 63-lakh loan obtained from Cooperative Institutions was pending.

To another question, the Chief Minister said the Government Order(Go) to provide Rs One crore to the nominated members towards area devleopment fund for 2007-08 was issued and the fund for 2005-06 could not be allotted because of the announcement of election dates.

The demand for provision of bus facilities to rural Karaikal, drew heated arguments in the House during question hour today. With all the members from Karaikal region, speaking out on the issue, and the question hour being turned into a debate, Speaker R Radhakrishnan, allowed 30 minutes discussion on the issue on another day.

Replying to another question, Mr Rangasamy said the Kamban Kalai Arangam here would be renovated and inagurated in another eight months and the work would be completed at an estimated cost of Rs three crore.

AIADMK member Anbazhagan wanted to know why the estimate which was four crore was reduced to three, to which Mr Rangasamy said that he had ordered for it. At this juncture, Mr Anbazhagan in an apparent reference to the central vigilance enquiry into the construction of the Government Medical College, said an inquiry by the vigilance should be ordered into it.

Mr Rangasamy replied that, if so, enquiries should be ordered into all constructions here, which would spoil the beauty of Puducherry.

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