Lt. Governor K. Kailashnathan addressing the 16th Puducherry Legislative Assembly on Monday
| Photo Credit: S.S. Kumar
Highlighting the significant economic strides the Union Territory of Puducherry has made in recent days, Lieutenant Governor K. Kailashnathan on Monday (August 24, 2026) said the UT’s per capita income, Gross State Domestic Product, and revenue receipts have all shown healthy growth over the past few years.Delivering the customary address at the commencement of the Budget session of the Assembly, he said the per capita income had increased from ₹3,23,745 at current prices in 2025-26 to ₹3,44,926 in 2026-27, registering a growth of 6.5%.The GSDP growth rate, which stood at (-)2.21% in 2020-21, has increased to 8.12% in 2025-26. The growth rate witnessed was higher than that of the national GDP. The economy of the UT continued to register sustained growth, with overall receipts in 2025-26 increasing to ₹13,397.69 crore as against ₹12,346.80 crore in 2024-25, registering a growth of 8.51%, he said.The UT’s own receipts have increased from ₹6,848.29 crore to ₹7,631.53 crore, reflecting a healthy growth of 11.44%. On the spending front, the overall expenditure was at ₹13,111.45 crore in 2025-26 as compared to ₹12,307.66 crore in the previous year, registering a growth of 6.53%. More significantly, capital expenditure has increased from ₹447.48 crore to ₹765.59 crore, recording an impressive growth of 71.09%, the Lt. Governor said.Recalling the event at which Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation for works worth around ₹1,570 crore, including projects under the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) assistance programme, Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI), and Centrally Sponsored Schemes, the Lt. Governor said the initiatives would further strengthen infrastructure, improve urban services, and enhance connectivity.The UT, the Lt. Governor said, was poised to emerge as an important destination for information technology and knowledge-based industries with the establishment of an IT/ITES Special Economic Zone at Thattanchavady village with an investment of ₹725 crore.Significantly, the SEZ will be developed by Oulgaret Municipality, making it the first SEZ in the country to be developed by an urban local body. The proposed IT Special Economic Zone was planned to generate nearly 30,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities. Also, the proposed multi-modal Special Economic Zone at Karasur with an investment of ₹2,500 crore was expected to generate around 40,000 direct and indirect jobs, he said.Job vacanciesOn the job front, the Lt. Governor said the government had filled 4,160 vacant posts through direct recruitment so far and would further initiate steps to fill an additional 1,000 posts. To bring greater transparency to recruitment processes, he said the recently constituted Puducherry Examining Authority would streamline them through a common examination system and merit-based selection processes. The Authority will conduct Combined Secondary Level, Combined Higher Secondary Level, and Combined Graduate Level Departmental recruitments to ensure a fair, transparent, and efficient mechanism for the selection of candidates.“Our government is steadfastly working towards building a prosperous, self-reliant, and developed Puducherry, where the benefit of growth reaches every resident. Guided by the principles of good governance, social justice, and sustainable development, we remain committed to enhancing the quality of life of our people,” Mr. Kailashnathan said. Published - August 24, 2026 04:33 pm IST
