Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy lauded the Union Budget, saying it will make India a strong nation.
He said the focus on developing infrastructure, generation of employment opportunities, ensuring health care facilities for the poor and the have-nots, stabilising basic amenities, insurance cover for marginalised sections, industrialisation and nurturing of water resources would ensure that India emerged as a "strong nation" in the future.
Rangasamy, who returned from Delhi earlier in the day after meeting Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and a few other Ministers, said he had requested the Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu to ensure that Puducherry was included in the Central plan to create 'Smart Cities' in the country.
"I have also sought sufficient funds from the Centre to preserve heritage buildings and also to meet fiscal requirements of Union Territory of Puducherry," he said and added that the Central Ministers have "wholeheartedly accepted the pleas."
Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda would visit Puducherry soon to acquaint himself with the requirements of the government run medical college and also the government run hospitals in the Union Territory.
During his meeting with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Rangasamy said he had pleaded for steps to ensure immediate release of fishermen of Karaikal arrested by Sri Lankan navy and also to retrieve seized fishing vessels.
The Chief Minister claimed the Union Home Minister had "wholeheartedly accepted the plea of Puducherry for full statehood and also for sanction of sufficient funds for development in various sectors here".
