Puducherry (union territory): Difference between revisions

| leader_name                    = [[Tamilisai Soundararajan]] [[Additional Charge]]

| leader_name1                    = [[N. Rangaswamy]] ([[All India NR Congress|AINRC]])  

| demographics1_info1            = [[Tamil language|Tamil]], [[Indian English|English]], [[Indian French|French]]<ref name="1965act">{{cite web |title=The Pondicherry Official Languages Act, 1965 |url=http://www.lawsofindia.org/pdf/puducherry/1965/1965Pondicherry3.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200503022028/http://www.lawsofindia.org/pdf/puducherry/1965/1965Pondicherry3.pdf |archive-date=3 May 2020 |website=lawsofindia.org |publisher=Laws of India |access-date=10 June 2019}}</ref>

| leader_name3                    = Balaji Srivastava, [[Indian Police Service|IPS]]

| blank_info_sec1                = {{increase}}0.738 (<span style="color:#090">High</span>) •[[List of Indian states and territories by Human Development Index|7th]]

'''Puducherry''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|p|ʊ|d|ᵿ|ˈ|tʃ|ɛr|i}}), also known as '''Pondicherry''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|p|ɒ|n|d|ᵻ|ˈ|tʃ|ɛr|i}}), is a [[States and union territories of India|union territory]] of India. It was formed out of four territories of former [[French India]], namely [[Puducherry district|Pondichéry]] (Pondicherry; now Puducherry), [[Karaikal district|Karikal]] (Karaikal), [[Mahé district|Mahé]] and [[Yanaon]] ([[Yanam]]), excluding [[Chandannagar]]. It is named after the largest district, Puducherry. Historically known as Pondicherry ({{transl|ta|ISO|Pāṇṭiccēri}}), the territory [[Renaming of cities in India|changed its official name]] to Puducherry on 20 September 2006.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5365248.stm |title=South Asia &#124; New name for old French territory |work=BBC News |date=20 September 2006 |access-date=10 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222055544/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5365248.stm |archive-date=22 February 2014 |url-status=live  }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/22/stories/2006082207481000.htm |title=National : Bill to rename Pondicherry as Puducherry passed |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |date=22 August 2006 |access-date=10 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021123517/http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/22/stories/2006082207481000.htm |archive-date=21 October 2012 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

The Union Territory of Puducherry lies in the [[South India|southern part]] of the Indian Peninsula. The areas of [[Puducherry district]] and [[Karaikal district]] are bound by the state of [[Tamil Nadu]], while [[Yanam district]] and [[Mahé district]] are enclosed by the states of [[Andhra Pradesh]] and [[Kerala]], respectively. Puducherry is the 29th most populous and the third most densely populated of the states and union territories of India. It has a gross domestic product (GDP) of {{INRConvert|210|b}} and ranks [[List of Indian states by GDP|25th in India]].<ref>{{cite web|title=State Domestic Product and other aggregates, 2004–05 series |url=http://mospi.nic.in/Mospi_New/upload/State-wise%20SDP-27.02.2015.xls |publisher=Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation |access-date=18 June 2015|archive-date=23 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150323115356/http://mospi.nic.in/Mospi_New/upload/State-wise%20SDP-27.02.2015.xls|date=27 February 2015}}</ref>

The earliest recorded history of the [[Pondicherry|municipality of Puducherry]] can be traced to the second century AD. The ''[[Periplus of the Erythraean Sea]]'' mentions a marketplace named ''Poduke'' (ch 60). [[G. W. B. Huntingford]] suggested this might be a site about 2 miles from the modern Puducherry, which was possibly the location of [[Arikamedu]] (now part of [[Ariyankuppam]]). Huntingford noted that Roman pottery was found at Arikamedu in 1937. In addition, [[archeology|archaeological]] excavations between 1944 and 1949 showed that it was "a trading station to which goods of Roman manufacture were imported during the first half of the 1st century" Subsequent investigation by Vimala Begley from 1989 to 1992 modified this assessment, and now place the period of occupation from the third or second century BC to the eighth century AD.<ref>

* [[Karaikal district]] is also an enclave of [[Tamil Nadu]].

Puducherry is a [[Union Territory]] of India rather than a state, which implies that governance and administration fall directly under federal authority. However, Puducherry is one of the three union territories in India (the other being [[Delhi|National Capital Territory of Delhi]] and [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]]) that is entitled by a [[Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution of India|special constitutional amendment]] to have an elected legislative assembly and a cabinet of ministers, thereby conveying partial statehood.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://lankabbc.com/blog/tag/pondicherry |title=Lanka BBC Info Know Puducherry: Government Name Pondicherry As Puducherry |website=lankabbc.com |date=29 June 2012 |access-date=24 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202235835/https://lankabbc.com/blog/tag/pondicherry/ |archive-date=2 February 2017 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> There has been some interest by the territory's government in receiving full statehood, but budgetary issues remain a consideration. Also, Mahe and Yanam may oppose such a change of status.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2018/jul/26/will-pondys-attempt-to-get-statehood-succeed-1848833.html|title=Will Pondy's attempt to get statehood succeed?|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref>

The Centre is represented by the [[List of lieutenant governors of Puducherry|Lieutenant Governor]], who resides at the Raj Nivas (Le Palais du Gouverneur) at the Park, the former palace of the French governor. The central government is more directly involved in the territory's financial well-being unlike states, which have a central grant that they administer. Consequently, Puducherry has at various times, enjoyed lower taxes, especially in the [[indirect taxation|indirect]] category.

[[French language|French]] was the [[official language]] according to Article XXVIII of the ''[[Treaty establishing De Jure Cession of French Establishments in India|Traité de Cession]] (Treaty of Cession) of 1956''. According to the treaty, "''the French language shall remain the official language of the Establishments so long as the elected representatives of the people shall not decide otherwise''".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mha.nic.in/hindi/sites/upload_files/mhahindi/files/pdf/GovernmentUnionterritoriesAct1963.pdf|title=The Government of Union Territories Act, 1963|publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India|access-date=1 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305011621/http://mha.nic.in/hindi/sites/upload_files/mhahindi/files/pdf/GovernmentUnionterritoriesAct1963.pdf|archive-date=5 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Puducherry code volume 1|url=http://py.gov.in/portalapp/citizens/actsrules/LAWVOL1.pdf|publisher=Government of Puducherry|access-date=1 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925050612/https://www.py.gov.in/portalapp/citizens/actsrules/LAWVOL1.pdf|archive-date=25 September 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> After independence, the new official languages were recognised by The Pondicherry Official Language Act, 1965 (Act No. 3 of 1965) which makes no mention of French (but also not officially denying it)<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ecourts.gov.in/pondicherry/history |title=History |publisher=District Court of Puducherry |access-date=12 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402195506/http://ecourts.gov.in/pondicherry/history |archive-date=2 April 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> This act stated that "the Tamil language shall (...) be the language to be used for all or any of the official purposes of the Union territory".<ref name="1965act" /> It also provides for the use of the Malayalam and Telugu languages in the Mahé and Yanam districts. The law also states that English "may be used for all or any of the official purposes of the Union territory".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cidif.go1.cc/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=84:0390-le-francais-a-pondichery-par-roland-breton&catid=25:lettre-nd22&Itemid=3|title=06-Le français à Pondichéry, par Roland Breton|author=CIDIF|work=go1.cc|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150409112352/http://cidif.go1.cc/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=84:0390-le-francais-a-pondichery-par-roland-breton&catid=25:lettre-nd22&Itemid=3|archive-date=9 April 2015}}</ref> While the Union Territory official gazette's name is in French (''La Gazette de L'État de Poudouchéry'') it is published exclusively in English.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gstcouncil.gov.in/sites/default/files/sgst-notification/PUD-(R)-(18)-9.pdf |title=La Gazette de L' État de Poudouchéry The Gazette of Puducherry |website=gstcouncil.gov.in |access-date=21 June 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> Through the ''1963 Union Territories Act'', Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam became official languages used region-wide.

==Transport==

Puducherry is connected by a railway branch line from the five-way junction at [[Viluppuram]] and [[Chennai]]. The railway line is a [[broad gauge]] line with 16 originating trains and 17 terminating trains.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://indiarailinfo.com/departures/puducherry-pondicherry-pdy/1232|title=Pondicherry Station - 16 Train Departures SR/Southern Zone - Railway Enquiry|last=karthik|website=indiarailinfo.com|access-date=17 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817161727/https://indiarailinfo.com/departures/puducherry-pondicherry-pdy/1232|archive-date=17 August 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> Mean while [[Karaikal district|Karaikal]] and [[Mahé district|Mahe]] also well connected by railway lines. [[Peralam–Karaikal line|Several railway lines]] are also under construction in [[Karaikal district]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Rajaram|first=R.|date=2021-02-05|title=Karaikal-Peralam railway line project gets an impetus|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Tiruchirapalli/karaikal-peralam-railway-line-project-gets-an-impetus/article33761412.ece|access-date=2021-05-12|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>  

Puducherry has an airport called [[Pondicherry Airport|Puducherry airport]]. It has flight operations between Puducherry and Hyderabad.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Puducherry airport becomes AAI’s first 100% solar-powered airport - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/puducherry/puducherry-airport-becomes-aais-first-100-solar-powered-airport/articleshow/78464506.cms|access-date=2021-05-12|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref> A new airport is proposed in karaikal which is called as [[Karaikal Airport|karaikal airport]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-03-04|title=Greenfield airport at Karaikal waiting to take wings|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/greenfield-airport-at-karaikal-waiting-to-take-wings/article30979514.ece|access-date=2021-05-12|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

Puducherry has a network all-weather metalled roads connecting the territory. Puducherry has a road length of 2,552&nbsp;km (road length per 4.87&nbsp;km²), the highest in the country. [[Puducherry Road Transport Corporation|PRTC]] busses plays a vital role in puducherry U.T.  

== Education ==

According to the 2011 census, Puducherry had a literacy rate of 86.55.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/2011-prov-results/data_files/india/Final_PPT_2011_chapter6.pdf|title=Ranking of states and union territories by literacy rate: 2011|publisher=Government of India|access-date=2 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706191931/http://censusindia.gov.in/2011-prov-results/data_files/india/Final_PPT_2011_chapter6.pdf|archive-date=6 July 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Pondicherry University]] is a university centrally located in Puducherry.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pondicherry University |url=http://www.pondiuni.edu.in/about_uni.htm |publisher=Pondicherry University |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110425174938/http://www.pondiuni.edu.in/about_uni.htm |archive-date=25 April 2011 }}</ref> Other educational institutions include [[Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research]] (JIPMER), Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute (Government of Puducherry), Mahathma gandhi post graduate institute of dental science[GOVT OF PUDUCHERRY], Tagore Arts and Science College, Indira Gandhi College of Arts and Science (Government of Puducherry), [[Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute]], [[National Institute of Technology, Puducherry]], [[Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Institute of Engineering and Technology]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pkiet.edu.in |title=Welcome to the Website of PKIET |publisher=Pkiet.edu.in |access-date=10 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140217215809/http://www.pkiet.edu.in/ |archive-date=17 February 2014 |url-status=live  }}</ref> [[Pondicherry Engineering College]], Mother Theresa Post Graduate and Research Institute of Health Sciences, Achariya College of Engineering Technology (ACET), [[Rajiv Gandhi College of Engineering and Technology]], [[Rajiv Gandhi College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences]], Mahatma Gandhi Medical College & Research Institute, Sri Manakula Vinayagar Medical College Hospital, Sri Ganesh College of Engineering and Technology, and [[Sri Venkateshwaraa Medical College Hospital and Research Centre]].