17.08.2024 : Hon’ble Governor visited two villages located along Indo-China border as a part of Vibrant Village.

SKM/GOV/PR/2024/207

The Hon’ble Governor of Sikkim, Shri Om Prakash Mathur, visited Kupup and Gnathang today, the two villages located along the Indo-China border, as part of the Vibrant Village program.

The Hon’ble Governor’s first stop on his tour was his brief halt at the Yak Golf Course, situated at an elevation of 13,100 feet—the highest golf course in the world.

Upon his arrival in Kupup, situated at an elevation of 13000 feet, the Hon’ble Governor was welcomed by DC Gangtok, Shri Tushar Nikhare, Sr SP Gangtok Shri Tenzing Loden, Asst Collector, Shri Sandeep Jha, BDO Nandok, Shri TT Bhutia, the Panchayat President, and officers from various departments.

At Kupup, the Hon’ble Governor inaugurated a rainwater harvesting tank aligned with the “Mission Life” theme.

Following this, he visited the Kupup community center, where the Panchayat President provided an overview of the village. DC Gangtok, Tushar Nikhare highlighted the significance of the Vibrant Village program and expressed pride in hosting the Hon’ble Governor.

Asst. Collector Shri Sandeep Jha delivered a comprehensive PowerPoint presentation on the sanctioned and proposed projects under the Vibrant Village Program.

The Hon’ble Governor engaged with the villagers and expressed his commitment to addressing their needs. He emphasized that the Vibrant Village program is a pioneering initiative aimed at bringing socio-economic improvements to those living along the Indo-China border, a first since independence. He assured his support for the successful implementation of the program.

The Hon’ble Governor also encouraged villagers to explore their specialized local talents for both national and international markets, and suggested them on the formation of Self-Help Groups to facilitate this effort.

He further stated that the program will be taken forward through the combined efforts of both the local community and the Government.

The Hon’ble Governor visit continued with Gnathang village at an elevation of 13,500ft where he made his field visit to the site designated for a high-altitude sports complex under the Vibrant Village program and interacted with the local community.

Additionally, he visited the Old Baba Mandir and offered prayers.

The Hon’ble Governor was accompanied on the tour by the Additional Secretary to the Hon’ble Governor, Shri Khemraj Bhattarai, as well as officers from Raj Bhavan and various line departments.