Rangasamy focusses on tourism potential of Puducherry

New Delhi, Dec 9 (UNI) Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy today urged the Centre to help the Union Territory develop tourism in a big way and announced that an annual "Tourism Festival" was being organised as in Singapore and Malaysia.

Addressing the 52nd meeting of the National Development Council here, he said many new tourism infrastructure projects like Arts and Crafts Village at Murungapakkam, development of the Temple town at Karaikal, beautification of Puducherry and Karaikal beaches were ready for implementation on the ground.

''These projects apart from attracting tourists will provide much needed impetus to the economy,'' he said.

In this context, he asked the Centre to improve rail connectivity from Puducherry, especially to Cuddalore and Karaikal.

Mr Rangasamy highlighted the UT's woes due to loan burden, and urged the Centre to write off the entire outstanding loan. He suggested withdrawal of the loan component of central assistance to Union Territories from the eleventh plan onwards.

In this context, he pointed out that it would be difficult for a small Union Territory like Puducherry to raise resources through market borrowings.

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