Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi on Monday said the financial resources of the government of Union Territory were limited but the government had prudently managed the finances.
She was delivering her customary address to the territorial Assembly on the opening day of the budget session (2019-2020).
"Despite financial constraints the government has demonstrated its commitment to ensure adequate provision of funds for the welfare of the poor and the needy," she said.
In her nearly hour-long address, Bedi said, "the government is therefore constrained to strike a balance between available resources and possible expenditure."
Government expenditure during the last financial year (2018-2019) was Rs 7,342 crore as against revised estimate of Rs 7,881 crore working out to 93.16 per cent, she said.
"The government had prudently managed the finances of the Union Territory despite financial constraints," the Lt Governor said.
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The former IPS officer also said that the government had repaid the market loan available during 2008-2009to the tune of Rs 351 crore without affecting the ongoing welfare schemes.
The Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of Puducherry for the fiscal 2018-2019 was Rs 35,860 crore at current price which is 11 per cent higher than that of the previous year.
Per capita income also increased from Rs 2,03,583 (2017-2018) to Rs 2,20,461 (2018-2019) showing "an impressive annual growth rate of eight per cent," she said.
She listed out achievements of government departments during the last fiscal and said the Commercial Taxes department contributed to about 45 per cent of the union territory's own resources.
Revenue collection including GST compensation from the Central government for the fiscal 2018-2019 stood at Rs 2,131 crore which was Rs 272 crore over and above the last year's mark of Rs 1,859 crore.
"Puducherry has been declared as 'open defecation-free state'and 4,573 individual household toilets were constructed at a cost of Rs 11 crore to maintain hygiene and promote basic amenities," she said.
Earlier as soon as the Lt Governor started reading out the address, the AIADMK Legislature party leader A Anbalagan rose to point out that the government had failed to measure up to the expectations of the people.
He led a walkout by all the four legislators of the AIADMK.
A motion of thanks was moved by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Chief Minister, K Lakshminarayanan and was seconded by the Government Whip R K R Anandaraman.
The Speaker adjourned the proceedings to Tuesday.
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