Puducherry MP Demands CBI Probe For Anomalies In Smart City Projects

Member of Parliament V. Vaithilingam on Wednesday demanded that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should investigate the charges of graft anomalies related to the execution of Smart City projects in Puducherry. 

Addressing a press conference, the Congress leader said several allegations pertaining to the implementation of projects under the Smart City Mission have surfaced in recent times. He added that an official who handled the Smart City mission in the Union Territory’s administration had written to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs about irregularities in the implementation of the scheme. 

The parliamentarian said that he isn’t the only one who has been pointing fingers at the works undertaken in the Smart city projects. A few days ago, Independent legislator G. Nehru alias Kuppusamy voiced his displeasure at an official event over the execution of development work in his constituency under the Smart City Mission. 

“These allegations have to be investigated by the CBI. I will be writing to the MHA seeking a probe into the implementation of the Smart City scheme in the UT,” he said. 

He also pointed out how there are several issues like liquor licences being renewed in the state that need to be investigated by Central agencies. When it was pointed out that Lt Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan had denied any wrong-doing in the implementation of these schemes, the MP claimed that her conduct itself was under public scrutiny. 

“The Lt Governor has admitted to renewing the licence for a distillery. The distillery was closed by her predecessor Kiran Bedi during the erstwhile Congress regime. Now, a question arises as to whose conduct was correct and whose was wrong. The liquor issue too, has to be investigated. Already, the CBI is investigating the liquor policy of the Delhi government, “ the MP said.