Take steps to improve healthcare, jobs in Karaikal, say MLAs

Karaikal (Puducherry). March 11 (PTI) Members from the Karaikal region raised concerns over its "continued neglect" during a debate on the Lieutenant Governor’s address in the Assembly on Tuesday.

Independent MLA P R Siva (Tirunallar) urged the government to take immediate steps to improve healthcare services at the Karaikal government hospital.

He called on Chief Minister N Rangasamy to visit the region and hold discussions with officials to assess the hospital’s facilities.

He highlighted that, in emergencies, patients were often forced to travel to Thanjavur or Puducherry due to inadequate local services, causing severe hardship.

Siva also stressed the need to expedite the establishment of a government medical college and hospital in Karaikal, a long-pending demand.

Additionally, he pointed out the lack of job opportunities for graduates of professional colleges in the region, particularly engineering students, and urged the government to set up an IT park to boost employment.

He further noted the vacancy of Village Administrative Officer (VAO) posts and criticised the reliance on contract-based appointments as an inadequate solution.

Echoing similar concerns, Opposition DMK legislator M Nagathiyagarajan reiterated the inadequate healthcare services in Karaikal and urged the government to promptly establish a medical college and hospital.

He also alleged that the region had been consistently neglected across multiple sectors.

Discussing rising unemployment, Nagathiyagarajan said the issue was a major concern among the youth.

"Not a day passes without young job seekers crowding the offices of elected representatives," he claimed, calling for immediate government intervention to address the crisis. PTI CORR SSK KH