The per capita income of the Union Territory of Puducherry has now increased to ₹3,06,119 as a result of measures initiated by the government in the past few years, Chief Minister N. Rangasamy said here on Saturday (August 15, 2026).

Delivering his Independence Day address after hoisting the national flag during the celebrations held at the Beach Promenade, the Chief Minister said the government had taken several measures to improve the livelihoods of all sections of society.

Thanking the voters for re-electing the AINRC-BJP in the 2026 Assembly polls, the Chief Minister said his government was committed to fulfilling the aspirations of all people with the support of the Central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Chief Minister, in his address, highlighted various measures taken up to improve the livelihoods of agricultural and dairy farmers in Puducherry. The speech also covered policy initiatives by the departments of Adi Dravidar, Fisheries, Education, Health, and Industries.

The government was taking various measures to improve the traffic situation and drinking water supply, prevent waterlogging, and provide more job opportunities for the youth. Administrative measures are being taken to recruit 74 junior engineers in the Public Works Department through a written test, Mr. Rangasamy said.

PRTC earns revenue of ₹200 crore

Steps taken by the government in the public transport sector have led to a rise in revenue. Under the PM e-Bus Sewa scheme, the Centre has sanctioned around 75 electric vehicles, of which 25 have already been purchased and deployed in service, the Chief Minister said.

In the financial year 2025-26, the Pondicherry Road Transport Corporation earned a revenue of ₹200 crore. So far in this fiscal year, the Corporation has earned a revenue of ₹59.09 crore. Under the Central Government’s Capital Investment Scheme, in-principle approval has been obtained for 132 new bus shelters in the UT, the Chief Minister said.

The territorial administration was preparing a Waterways Master Plan for the promotion of coastal trade in the UT. Steps are also being taken to deepen the mouth of the Puducherry Port to make it operational for cargo transport and improve fishing activity. Measures are under way to establish new power substations at Lawspet and Thavalakuppam, he said.

₹64 crore for Ekta Mall

Mr. Rangasamy also informed the gathering that the Centre has released the first instalment of ₹64.24 crore for the construction of Prime Minister’s Ekta Mall proposed for the promotion of local handicraft products.

After hoisting the national flag, the Chief Minister inspected a guard of honour provided by the Puducherry Police and witnessed an impressive march-past by the different wings of the police, fire services, ex-Servicemen, NCC cadets, NSS volunteers, and schoolchildren. The Chief Minister also presented various awards and witnessed cultural events.

Pro-tem Speaker A. Anbalagan, Home Minister A. Namassivayam, legislators, Chief Secretary Sharat Chauhan, Director General of Police Shalini Singh, and senior officials were present. Independence Day celebrations were also held at the UT’s enclaves of Karaikal, Mahe, and Yanam.

Puducherry’s first Self-Respect Pride March saw a colourful turnout, from LGBTQIA+ community members from across the city on Sunday.

The participants holding placards took out a rally and raised slogans that called for inclusivity, intersectionality, dignity, and personal rights of LGBTQIA+.

Organised by Sahodaran, a community development centre for transpersons and LGBTQIA+, the rally began from the Swadeshi cotton mills and culminated at the Alliance Francaise de Pondicherry.

The participants demanded that welfare schemes provided by the Puducherry Government to trans women should also be extended to trans men and intersex persons. Establishment of a welfare board for transgenders and issue of free house-site pattas to members and free travel on government buses were among the other demands.

Congress leader V. Narayanasamy has urged Puducherry Chief Minister N. Rangasamy to emulate the stand taken by his counterpart in Tamil Nadu, C. Joseph Vijay, regarding the closure of several liquor outlets in the State and the issue of corruption.

“Mr. Rangasamy is known to be close to Mr. Vijay and recently, Tamil Nadu Minister N. Anand had met him at his residence. Just as his counterpart had given a promise during his swearing-in that he would not tolerate corruption, Mr. Rangasamy should take a vow not to allow corruption under the watch of his Cabinet. We will all appreciate a public proclamation from him to remove corruption from the Union Territory,” Mr. Narayanasamy said at a press conference on Monday (June 15, 2026). 

He contended that action was being initiated in Tamil Nadu against officers involved in corruption. Such administrative steps should be taken in Puducherry. Recently, a scam had surfaced in the Excise Department on the pricing of liquor by a company, he said, adding that there had been no further departmental proceedings regarding the same.

Mr. Rangasamy should take inspiration from Mr. Vijay on the closure of TASMAC liquor outlets. Around 700 outlets functioning near schools, colleges, religious places, and bus stands were closed after Mr. Vijay assumed office. In the last five years, resto bars and other liquor outlets have come up in large numbers in the UT, the Congress leader said. 

“The functioning of resto bars in the town have resulted in several law-and-order issues. There has been complaints from residents on the functioning of liquor outlets in their locality. Mr. Rangasamy should order the closure of all types of liquor outlets functioning in residential areas, as well as near educational institutions and religious places,” he said.

Delay in Ministry formation

Criticising Mr. Rangasamy over the delay in forming a complete Ministry in the UT, the Congress leader said the AINRC founder was also “in the habit of delaying portfolio allocation.”

“More than a month has passed since Mr. Rangasamy assumed office. There is no full Ministry yet. We are hearing that three more Ministers are going to be sworn in on June 17. During his previous tenure, one Minister was allocated a portfolio 138 days after assuming office, while another completed his tenure without being assigned any portfolio. He should not repeat this mistake. The Ministers should be allocated portfolios immediately. There has been a complete absence of governance over the last month because of the delay in the formation of the Ministry,” he said.

Newly elected legislators – including Chief Minister and founder of All India N.R. Congress N. Rangasamy and two Ministers who were sworn in earlier, after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) retained power in the 2026 Assembly elections held on April 9 in Puducherry – took oath as MLAs in the Puducherry Legislative Assembly on Wednesday (May 20, 2026). 

Pro-tem Speaker A. Anbalagan, belonging to the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), administered the oath to the members. In the 30-member Assembly, the NDA has secured majority by winning 18 seats. While Chief Minister’s AlNRC won 12 seats, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured four seats and the AlADMK and Latchiya Jananayaga Katchi have secured one seat each. 

Of the remaining members, five are from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), two from the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), and one from the Neyam Makkal Kazhagam (NMK). The three others are Independents.

The Chief Minister, who contested from two seats, had vacated one seat, bringing the current strength of the Assembly to 29. Out of them, 28 legislators took the oath in the Well of the House, and one of the TVK legislators, Sai J. Saravanan Kumar, who arrived later, was administered the oath by Mr. Anbalagan inside the Speaker’s chamber in the Assembly. 

A majority of the legislators took the oath in Tamil, except for Minister Malladi Krishna Rao, DMK legislator A. Senthil Kumar, and Independent legislator T. Ashok Kumar. Mr. Rao who represents Yanam, one of the enclaves of the UT situated close to Andhra Pradesh, took the oath in Telugu. The Independent legislator Mr. Kumar, who represents the enclave of Mahe situated close to Kerala, took the oath in English, though his mother tongue is Malayalam.

DMK MLA’s request to take oath in French

Meanwhile, the decision of the DMK legislator, Mr. Senthil Kumar, who represents the rural constituency of Bahour in Puducherry, to take the oath in Malayalam took everyone by surprise. His move was attributed to a recent circular issued by the CBSE to introduce the three-language formula in all its affiliated schools in the country.

A section of people and political parties in the UT are of the view that the thrust given by the CBSE to two Indian languages for school education in Puducherry would reduce the importance given traditionally to French, after the merger of the territory with the Indian Union.  

The Bahour legislator had sought permission to take oath in French but the Assembly Secretariat, citing relevant rules, directed him to take the pledge in either of the four languages (Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, or English) used for Legislative business in the Assembly. 

“I wanted to bring the attention of the authorities to the importance of the French language in Puducherry by taking the pledge in that language. However, I was denied permission to take the oath in French. So, I decided to take the oath in Malayalam and bring to prominence the uniqueness of the UT in the country,” he said. 

13 new faces

Of the total members elected to the House, 13 are new faces. Two MLAs are doctors, namely K. Narayanasamy alias Nithyanandam of the AINRC representing Ozhukarai constituency and Independent V. Vigneswaran representing the reserved Nedungadu constituency.

Expressing happiness over the performance of his party and alliance partners in Puducherry Assembly polls, Chief Minister and AINRC founder N. Rangasamy said the date for his swearing-in for a successive term will be announced shortly.

Interacting with reporters after receiving the election certificate, Mr Rangasamy said the victory was a reflection of the faith reposed by the people of Puducherry on his government. In the last five years, the government had initiated several welfare and development works, he added.