The Puducherry Chief Minister V Vaithilingam, who also holds the Finance portfolio, presented a Rs 4,133-crore budget for the Union Territory for 2009-2010 in the Assembly.

Mr. Vaithilingam said the rise in VAT on cigarettes was aimed at discouraging consumption of cigarettes.

He also announced that food and drinks sold by the Indian Coffee Workers Cooperative Society Ltd here would be exempted from VAT.

He said the Planning Commission had pegged the plan size of Puducherry for 2009-10 at Rs 2,250 crore. This comprises of state's own resources of Rs 1,016.15 crore, Central assistance of Rs 273.59 crore and borrowings and negotiated loan of Rs 960.26 crore.

The non plan allocation is Rs 1,846.20 crore and an amount of Rs 36.80 crore is also provided under the Centrally sponsored schemes, he added.

Meanwhile, alleging that the Congress government under Vaithilingam failed to implement several schemes and to ensure balanced development of all the regions, legislators belonging to opposition AIADMK and CPI staged walk out from the House.

AIADMK legislators A Anbalagan said that he and his party colleagues were walking out to mark their protest against government's failure in ensuring development of Puducherry."

Source : The Hindu - Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, dated 05/08/2009