Pondicherry CM denies leak of budget papers

Puducherry August 31: Denying allegations of the leak of budget papers, Chief Minister V Narayanasamy today said only a part of sector-wise allocation of funds was posted on the government website.

"Only when there is any projection of fiscal aspects of the budget before it is presented in the House could there be room for allegations of leak of budget," he told the Assembly during zero hour. He was responding to the AIADMK member A Anbalagan, who sought to know of the decision taken on his notice of privilege on the alleged leak.

Speaker V Vaithilingam said, "The ruling would be given at the appropriate time." Later, members of the ruling Congress and opposition AIADMK demanded that the government bring in a legislation to ensure that private medical colleges in Puducherry earmarked 50 percent seats for government-sponsored students.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the reply of V Narayanasamy that there was no possibility for the government to secure seats for students sponsored by Centralised Admission committee (CENTAC), in private medical colleges, members of the ruling Congress and opposition AIADMK said a legislation on the lines of Tamil Nadu government must be introduced to keep a tab on the managements that charge high fees.

During the budget debate, DMK legislator Geetha Anandhan told the Assembly that the government guest house in Uppalam here, where four women legislators were staying during the Assembly session was bereft of basic amenities and security. She urged the Puducherry government to rectify the shortcomings in the guest house.

PTI