Puducherry, Mar 10 (PTI) Puducherry Lt Governor K Kailashnathan on Monday said a Rs 534 water supply project assisted by the French Development Agency is being implemented by the government, to enhance water availability across the union territory.

Kailashnathan, who presented his customary address in Tamil on the opening day of the budget session, said, "It is proposed to tap water from five major lakes – Oussudu, Bahoor, Abishegapakkam, Korkadu and Vadhanur- and also harness deep aquifer groundwater by installing 40 additional tube wells near Sankaraparani river here and within urban areas.

He noted that a proposal has been submitted to the Centre seeking Rs 4,750 crores for an integrated urban livability project for the Union Territory. The initiative includes construction of two desalination plants each with a capacity of 50 million liters per day, improving surface water sources and upgrading water supply systems, sewerage and drainage facilities along with better road connectivity with National Highways in all four regions of Puducherry.

Detailing various infrastructure development initiatives, the Lt Governor said the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs had recently recommended the proposal for Rs 3,290 crores for water supply, sewerage and drainage components and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) also recommended the proposal for road components to Department of Economic Affairs of the Finance Ministry.

Pointing to territorial government's request to the MoRTH last year for financial aid to the tune of Rs 1,000 crores for the construction of single décor elevated corridor from Rajiv Gandhi square to Indira Gandhi square here and also for widening of Cuddalore road for a 20 km stretch, he said MoRTH has considered the request and conveyed that the project would be taken up in the upcoming fiscal year.

"Despite the sources and opportunities for augmenting our revenue resources being very limited, the Union Territory's own revenue receipts have increased from Rs 8,418 crores in 2020-2021 to Rs 11,311.92 crores in 2023-2024, showing a growth rate of 34.36 per cent due to innovative measures adopted by the government." Highlighting Puducherry's achievements in terms of economic growth and poverty alleviation, he said, "the size of economy in terms of GSDP has increased by 44.06 per cent during the last five years achieving an annual average growth rate of 9.56 percent. The growth rate in economy, which was -2.21 percent (repeat -2.21 percent) in 2020-1021 has reached 8.81 percent in 2024-2025." The Lt Governor said that the per capita income at current prices has grown by a significant 5.33 per cent in 2024-2025 to reach Rs 3,02,680 from Rs 2,87,354 in 2023-2024, which translates to an additional Rs 15,000 per person.

Lt Governor affirmed the territorial government's commitment to make Puducherry best in business, education, spiritual and tourism sectors or BEST Puducherry-the mantra given by the PM.

Noting that Puducherry is already an education hub with over 100 higher educational institutions, he said the focus of the government now is to implement the New Education Policy robustly and effectively for building foundational education, improving the quality of higher education and driving skill development programmes to tap demographic dividend of our skilled and youthful population.

He listed the various measures taken by the government in implementing the smart city mission and also in industrial, agricultural, tourism and other sectors.

After delivering the speech, Kailashanathan left the House, following which a motion of thanks to his address was tabled by the Parliamentary Secretary to Chief Minister A John Kumar which was seconded by the government whip A K D Arumugam.

Speaker R Selvam announced that the House would have a debate on the motion of thanks in the House on Tuesday and adjourned the proceedings till then. PTI COR ROH

Central funding requests for integrated urban infrastructure to support expanded water supply and road projects across the union territory. The territorial administration has submitted an integrated urban infrastructure funding proposal to the central government, proposing to augment water supply by tapping multiple lakes, developing groundwater via additional tube wells, constructing desalination plants, and upgrading water supply, sewerage and drainage systems; ministries have recommended respective components to the economic affairs department while the road transport ministry has signalled consideration of requested road projects in an upcoming fiscal cycle.