My dear fellow citizens,
On this happy occasion of celebration of our Republic Day, I convey my heartiest felicitations and good wishes to all my fellow citizens in Sikkim and to the countrymen.
On this day, the people of India gave unto themselves a democratic Constitution which enshrines the principles of governance by the people. The Constitution articulates the hopes and aspirations of the people. The principles of justice, liberty, and equality that have been enshrined in our Constitution, have been the bedrock of the nation’s stability and progress. For the Constitution provides ample opportunity to all sections of the society to lead a life of dignity.
On this auspicious occasion, let us remember those of our countrymen without whose relentless struggle and numerous sacrifices, a sovereign democratic nation would not have been established.
Fellow citizens, let us remember our great freedom fighters with deep gratitude. Let us also rededicate ourselves to the task of nation-building, and ensure that the edifice of unity, integrity and secularism of the country is further strengthened.
Today, we salute our brave soldiers who guard our borders in the most challenging and hostile terrain. Their commitment and zeal in ensuring our security is something for which we are indeed grateful.
In the process of Constitutional democracy, Sikkim has not lagged behind. Harmony among all sections of society prevails. Our peaceful environment and a low crime rate have made our State an oasis of peace and tranquility.
We are working on building a nature based economy and knowledge driven society in Sikkim. Our strategy for development has identified water resources, and the natural beauty of the State: our greenery, mountains, forest produce, medicinal plants, orchids, flowers and minerals as our growth potentials. Human development is the most important variable in our development programmes.
EDUCATION
Education is being accorded top priority. The challenge before us is to provide quality education, and improve the literacy rate. We are in the process of recruiting highly qualified teachers. We aim to achieve full literacy in Sikkim. The literacy rate of 68.80% as per 2001 census has improved to 82% as of today.
We have primary schools within 1 km and the secondary schools within 8 km of walking distance in the State. With improved road connectivity our children do not face hardship to reach their schools. The total number of schools in the State is 1157 which includes 765 government schools, 7 central government schools and 385 private schools. The teacher pupil ratio in 2007 was 1:16. It is being further improved.
The Sikkim Central University is expected to play a pivotal role in streamlining and development of educational programmes as far as higher education is concerned.
The Chief Minister’s free scholarship scheme seeks to attract meritorious students to pursue higher education in the premier universities of the world.
The comprehensive educational loan scheme provides easy term loan at a low interest to students pursuing higher education in any field, anywhere.
HEALTH
We aim to provide affordable health care to all. A network of hospitals, and rural health centres are already in place and more are being planned.
Efforts are also underway to bring about greater effectiveness in delivery of health services. It is aimed to make primary health care facilities accessible to all.
Sikkim is the 2nd State in India to have introduced mobile medical units in the districts under the National Rural Health Mission.
Steps have been initiated to set up a 575 bedded super specialty hospital at Gangtok.
CONNECTIVITY
It has been the ambition of the people and the Government of Sikkim to have a dependable connectivity with the rest of the country and the world by road, rail and air and the internet.
Fortunately, for me and for the State that during the period of my stay in Sikkim, some momentous steps have been initiated to this end.
On 28th February last year, we had the formal commencement of the work at the Pakyong Airport. The work is currently going on in full swing and by January 2012 the Pakyong Airport will be fully operational.
As regards the alternative road link, the project linking Chalsa (Kunya More) in West Bengal to Menla (Gangtok-Nathula Road) in Sikkim has been approved by the Government of India. Further, work on the double lanning of the NH-31A has also commenced.
Sikkim is connected to the Internet. Taking advantage of this, we have provided computers in schools, colleges, offices, etc. However, considering the terrain and the topography, it would be advantageous to have high capacity micro-wave wireless systems in place from Gangtok to Siliguri and to connect all the four districts in the State. We have taken up this matter with the Government of India.
The Sikkim railway project is being taken up as a national project. In the first phase Rangpo will be linked to Sevoke station and in the second phase the line will be extended upto the capital town, Gangtok.
The first phase is targeted for completion by the year 2015. We in Sikkim will then have the opportunity to travel by rail to and fro to Siliguri and beyond.
Besides making our journey much more comfortable and faster, this broad-gauge rail link would also bring about a tremendous change in the economy of the State by bringing down the cost of transportation and spurring industrial activities and tourism.
AGRICULTURE
Agriculture has been the mainstay of our economy with focus on high value produce.
Sikkim is under conversion to an organic State. New and modern technologies of organic farming system are being introduced. We are accordingly giving more emphasis to capacity building by providing training and exposure tours to the officers as well as farmers. With a ban on use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, Sikkim is to become a completely organic state in not too distant a future.
The thrust is also on high yielding seed production through public-private partnership. Our strength in horticulture and floriculture is also being augmented by post-harvest and marketing facilities. Some success has been achieved in attracting private investment in floriculture.
We propose to develop horticulture in a big way to provide employment opportunities to the people through opening of new ventures based on floriculture, production of fruits, vegetables including off season vegetables and medicinal plants. There is active promotion of integrated farming systems with focus on protection of local varieties of maize and paddy.
The State has taken up the issue of disease management in fruits and promotion of off-season vegetables through green house technology.
The State is also gradually moving towards commercial production of medicinal plants.
RURAL EMPOWERMENT
The major thrust of the Government of Sikkim has been to strengthen our villages.
Power has been transferred to the villages through Panchayats, in order to make the people stakeholders in finalizing developmental schemes. The various anti poverty flagship programmes of the State Government are being actively implemented, duly involving the local elected bodies. The reservation of seats for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions has increased from 33 to 40 percent.
We are working towards ensuring availability of quality water and sanitation facilities alongside protection and conservation of water sources.
Sikkim has ranked 3rd in the policy initiatives for empowering Panchayats in the country. The State has been awarded the Nirmal Rajya Puraskar on being the first state in the Country to achieve 100% rural sanitation.
Capacity Building and Skill Development of the youth are being accorded priority. This is manifest in the newly established Institute of Capacity Building at Karfectar, Jorethang. This Institute will undertake all capacity building initiatives in order to make the youth self-reliant and to make them market worthy for employment.
The Institute will also impart training to the Panchayats to enable them to deliver quality services to the people and thus become instruments of change at the village level.
Under the Chief Minister’s self-employment scheme small loans are being granted to deserving unemployed persons at a low rate of interest to set up business ventures.
A Universal Financial Inclusion Project has been initiated. This comprehensive programme is to open bank account inclusive of insurance coverage in the name of female members of the household. The programme will cover areas where Banks do not have their branches and thus bringing into its fold the weaker sections and low income group people in the State.
RESOURCE GENERATION
Hydel power is one of the priority sectors. The State is moving cautiously forward in this behalf. A 510 MW Teesta Hydro Electric Project – Stage V, was dedicated to the nation last year. The project is expected to fetch approximately Rs. 125.00 crores annually. The State has envisaged a target to mobilize around Rs. 1500 crores of revenue, with a combined generation of about 5000 MWs from all the hydel projects.
TOURISM
Sikkim has emerged as a growing tourist destination in the domestic and international market.
The State recognizes its comparative advantage in the field of tourism. We have to create physical infrastructure and hospitality etiquette to take full advantage as tourism has immense potential for generation of employment.
The State has ventured into village eco-tourism, home stay, adventure tourism like river rafting, para gliding and trekking. Various new tourist spots have been opened up by providing the required infrastructure by way of electricity, roads, water supply and wayside amenities.
The Government of India has also included Sikkim in the Buddhist circuit tourism and the State will strive to take full advantage of this.
A rhododendron festival at Barsey in West Sikkim and at Singba in North Sikkim has been proposed this year. These festivals are expected to attract a large number of foreign rhododendron lovers from all over the world.
From the year 1998 upto 2009-2010, the State has been bestowed with 15 tourism awards in various categories. The awards clearly reflect our achievements in this sector and also provide the encouragement to push further in this direction.
OUTLOOK
Sikkim is home of India’s 26% of biodiversity. Sikkim’s forest cover stands at 46.28% of our total area. It is our aspiration not to make any compromise on the environment and ecology while implementing projects. The State’s natural resources must be managed on the basis of the principles of sustainability, with active participation of the people. Our emphasis is on eco-friendly development in all aspects.
The State Government has recently completed the third State Green Mission. We will continue to plant trees and flowers to maintain the green cover.
Our children are the beautiful flowers of the garden of Sikkim. And we are determined to continue with efforts to gift the coming generations a secure future.
Our endeavour is to make Sikkim a vibrant and well-informed society. This is only possible through quality education. I would like the young boys and girls to acquire new skills that a knowledge economy has opened up. Towards this, I call upon young people to take full advantage of opportunities that are before them.
We should continue to maintain and further enrich the peaceful environment that Sikkim has. I believe that Sikkim would become a model State in India. This will only be possible when our people and government work together with earnestness. Let us move wholeheartedly in this direction.
JAI HIND
