Chennai, Aug 5 (IANS) Puducherry Chief Minister V.Vaithilingam Wednesday announced his government would give free of cost a colour television set and one cow to each below poverty line (BPL) family in the union territory.
Making the announcement during the budget presentation, Vaithilingam, who also holds the finance portfolio, however, did not specify the outlay for the project.

He said the “existing scheme of community TV centres is not satisfactorily working. Therefore, considering the size and population of our union territory, my government has decided to distribute free colour TV sets to BPL households in the current year”.

He also said the government proposes to give one cow free of cost to each BPL family instead of two cows at fifty percent subsidy with a maximum limit of Rs.12,000.

Announcing the government’s intention to corporatise the electricity department, he said a consultant has been appointed for the purpose.

“We have called for expression of interest (EOI) to set up power plant using coal/gas in Karaikal and Puducherry regions.”

Stating that the fishing harbour project at Karaikal is in good progress and will be in use by 2010, Vaithilingam said the environmental impact assessment (EIA) studies were completed by West Bengal Fisheries Development Corporation for the Yanam fishing harbour project.

“The Mahe fishing harbour work is now proposed under build-operate-transfer (BOT) mode to expedite completion,” he added.

He said the thrust during the year will be on public-private partnership (PPP) projects, particularly Puducherry Port, already awarded to a concessionaire to commence construction.

Announcing the central government’s approval for converting the Polagam Growth Centre in Karaikal into Special Economic Zone, Vaithilingam said the Puducherry government is taking steps to promote tourism as one of the major thrust areas by creating a favourable climate for infrastructure investment through PPP mode.

River cruise at Mahe and Yanam and sea cruise at Puducherry and Karaikal are planned to promote tourism.

The gross budget estimate for 2009-10 is Rs.4,133 crore, which includes a plan outlay of Rs.2,250 crore, non-plan provision of Rs.1,846.20 crore and centrally sponsored schemes Rs.36.80 crore.