5,000 more persons to get old-age pension in Puducherry: CM Rangasamy

Puducherry Chief Minister N. Rangasamy on Saturday (November 1, 2025) announced his government’s decision to provide old-age pension to 5,000 more persons in the Union Territory (UT).

Speaking after hoisting the national flag as part of the Puducherry Liberation Day celebrations near Gandhi Thidal, Beach Road, the Chief Minister said the government had recently added 10,000 people to the old-age pension scheme, taking the total number of beneficiaries to around 1. 91 lakh in the UT. The government has now decided to include 5,000 more persons in the beneficiary list, he said. 

Besides initiating several welfare schemes, the government was keen to make improvements to the education and healthcare sectors. After the government came to power in 2021, around 883 teaching posts were filled. Laptops have been distributed to Class 11 students in 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25. The government has now invited tenders to provide laptops to Class 12 students who have passed out in 2022-23 and those currently in Class 11, the Chief Minister said.

He also announced that 11 operation theatres are being readied on the fourth floor of the government medical college. The state-of-the-art operation theatres are being set up at a cost of around ₹20 crore. An advanced physical care centre will also come up at the medical college. The cost of around ₹23.70 crore for establishing the centre will be jointly incurred by the Union government and the territorial administration, he said. 

The Chief Minister also informed that a consultant has been appointed for the four-laning of Puducherry-Cuddalore Road. The process of expansion of the Puducherry airport has also begun. The government will soon start the distribution of 2 kg wheat to ration card holders every month, he said.

He also announced a plan to establish a memorial at Karaikal on the lines of the one at Kizhoor village in Puducherry. Kizhoor village in Mangalam constituency played a major role in Puducherry’s struggle for independence from French rule. The village hosted a peaceful referendum that ultimately led to the liberation of Puducherry from French control and its merger with India. 

The Liberation Day was celebrated with much fanfare in all four regions of the UT. It was on November 1 that the then French establishments of Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe, and Yanam merged de facto with the Indian union, bidding farewell to the French regime.

The Chief Minister, after hoisting the nation flag, inspected a guard of honour given by the Puducherry police. Cultural events were also held as part of the Liberation Day celebrations. Speaker R. Selvam, legislators, and senior officials attended the event.