THE OLD SETTLERS OF SIKKIM

ADDRESS BY H.E. THE GOVERNOR OF SIKKIM TO THE SIKKIM LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY ON 27TH JULY, 2009


Honourable Members


I feel both honoured and privileged to address this august House for the first time. I know this temple of democracy represents the will of the people of the State and has in its history served the Sikkimese people in all its sincerity.


At the outset, I take this opportunity to congratulate the Honb’le Chief Minister Pawan Chamling and his colleagues for the unprecedented victory in the recently concluded general elections. The overwhelming mandate received from the people by Dr. Pawan Chamling for the fourth consecutive term is indeed remarkable. The results of the election are a testimony to the overall good governance, development and maintenance of peace and harmony in the State.


Improvement in the social sector coupled with rapid infrastructure development has made Sikkim one of the model States of the country. The exemplary personal involvement of the Honb’le Chief Minister and his able team and the overall development of the State in achieving a high growth rate is commendable.


The Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) at Current Prices rose from Rs. 545 crores in 1995-96 to Rs. 2612 crores in 2008-09 as per advance estimates. The net Per Capita Income also increased from Rs. 10021 to Rs. 37553 in 2008-09. The index of GSDP increased by 379% and per Capita Net State Domestic Product (NSDP) by 275% during the period 1995-96 to 2008-09.


In recent times, Sikkim has bagged a number of prestigious awards like the Nirmal Rajya Puraskar for being the first state in the Country to achieve 100% sanitation and the 4th JRD Tata Award 2008 among the small states based on performance in key health indicators. These awards are undoubtedly indications that the plans, programmes and policies of the Government are headed in the right direction.


The disparity between the rich and the poor should be bridged and the problem of unemployment amongst the educated youth tackled on priority to build an equitable and just social order. Such an approach towards inclusive growth would help make Sikkim a self sufficient State.


The States Annual Plan document has been guided by the 11th Five Year Plan approved by the Government of India. The thrust of our 11th Five Year Plan is the inclusion of various flagship programmes; i.e. National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGA), Indira Awaas Yojana, National Rural Health Mission, Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).


I am happy to mention that the State Plan outlay for the year 2009-10 has been fixed at Rs. 1045.00 crores, which brings an increase of 22.65% from the allocation of the last financial year. Focus has been laid primarily on Health, portable and safe Drinking Water, Education, Power and Energy, Agriculture, Horticulture and Tourism Sectors and the Youth. It is our endeavor to provide health security, food security and to better the status of women and children in the State.


Apart from this, the Government aims to provide 10% of the total budget from the plan outlay for the capacity building initiative for the educated youth of Sikkim. This is being done with a view to honing up the skills of the educated unemployed in the fields of tourism and hospitality, mass communication and IT, modern methods of agriculture and animal husbandry, floriculture, cottage industry, trade and other skilled jobs. The aim is to create new opportunities for the youth, for purposeful and sustainable living.


The State Government is in the process of building an Institute for Capacity Building, thereby becoming the first State in the Country to initiate such a policy.
Urban-rural disparity needs to be bridged and migration from the rural areas to urban centres is to be controlled by vigorous implementation of the flagship anti-poverty programmes.


Effective implementation of the NREGA and PMGSY in the State has been ensured by active involvement of the elected Panchayati Raj institutions. This would go a long way in ensuring livelihood security in the State.


My Government is also in the process of building a 575 bedded super specialty hospital in the capital so that the people can avail of the best medical facilities within the State itself. The people of North Eastern Region can also take advantage of the facilities of this super specialty hospital. The project is being given top priority.


In the Health Sector, my Government has started a health insurance scheme for the Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. It will cover people above the age of 45 years and they will be given full and comprehensive free health checkup.


The agenda laid out in the flagship programmes of the National Rural Health Mission is also being carried out as per norms. Besides, there will be continued expansion of health infrastructure in terms of upgrading the Primary Health Sub-Centres to Primary Health Centre standards, recruitment of more doctors to be posted in the rural areas and free medical checkups, besides introducing the first ever Mobile Medical Units (MMU) in the region.


The challenge before us is to provide quality education and improve the literacy rate. Further improvement in the existing educational infrastructure and higher education will also be addressed. We are in the process of recruiting highly qualified teachers and improving the quality of education.


My Government has envisaged building one model school each for all the four districts. In this programme, the best students after passing Class V would be selected and admitted in Class VI in the model schools so that they are given the best quality education and groomed upto Class XII to compete at the national level.


The Sikkim University is also being facilitated by the State Government. Emphasis would be given on courses which are of relevance to the State against the backdrop of our natural resources.


Further, my Government is undertaking a Sikkim Universal Financial Inclusion Project to provide access to banking service through IT enabled bank savings account operation to the rural households. It will also ensure efficient and timely delivery of social benefit schemes like NREGA, old age pension and rural housing scheme by directly crediting monetary benefits through the smart cards of the beneficiaries.


The scheme aims for inclusion by enrolment of approximately one lakh rural households and issuing of composite smart card by organizing camps and setting up kiosk through business correspondents of the designated bank in accordance with the RBI guidelines. Households having a member in the Government job shall not be covered.


Public-private partnership which has started in tourism, hydel power generation and floriculture will be vigorously pursued and taken to other sectors as well.


Sikkim has abundant hydro electric potential. My Government believes in tapping the huge natural resource available, to bring about the desired level of progress and prosperity to the State. Out of the 8000 MW hydro potential in the State, it is envisaged a total of 5257 MW capacity hydel power generation will be added by the end of 11th & 12th Five Year Plans.


The 510 MW Teesta State V hydro power plant was recently dedicated to the nation by the Union Power Minister on 4th July 2009. 12% free power of its installed capacity which fetches about Rs. 125 crore annually will be a permanent source of revenue to the State and can be utilized for various development works. This is a major contribution to the nation from a small State like Sikkim. This is one of the largest hydel power plants in the North East Region.


Climate change is a global phenomenon. My Government is fully seized of this issue and has taken proactive measures in combating climate change and carbon emission in the State. We must not live in conflict with the elements of nature, rather we must respect and protect the bounties of the earth, live side by side in harmony so that we hand over the earth to our children in the same manner as it was handed over to us.


There have been reports which suggest that the Himalayan glaciers are in a state of peril and receding at an alarming rate. In Sikkim, we are most likely to be the victims of climate change leading to erratic monsoons, natural calamities and, unusually warm winters. Less volume of snow fall in the higher reaches of the mountains is already having an adverse impact on climate change.


The Government has sought an authentic report on the melting of Zemu glacier which is one of the biggest amongst the 84 glaciers in Sikkim. The committee on climate change would study the impact of global warming on glaciers in the State. Last year, a status report on the glaciers of Sikkim was prepared by a study team comprising of eminent experts at the initiative of the Science & Technology Department. The Chairman of the Committee was Professor S.I Hasnain, an eminent glaciologist.


This august House has already unanimously endorsed the Executive Report of B K Roy Burman Commission for Review of Environmental and Social Sector Policies, Plans and Programmes (CRESP) in the year 2008. The State Government thereafter forwarded this Executive Report to the Central Government for its implementation. The full report of this Commission justifying the inclusion of the remaining ethnic tribes belonging to Sikkimese Nepali Communities to be included in the list of Scheduled Tribes by the Government of India was placed on the Table of the House during its last session early this year. My Government is pressing for the expeditious implementation of Roy Burman Commission Report recommendation by the Government of India.


The Honble Chief Minister has called on all the leaders at the Centre, to ensure that the representation of the Limboo and Tamang seat is taken to its logical conclusion. The Central Government has also been requested to declare Sikkim where there is more than 40% tribal population as a tribal State. Further, my Government has also assured the protection of Bhutia, Lepcha and Sangha seats in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly.


The Government of India by an amendment in Section 10 of the Income Tax Act has exempted individuals being Sikkimese from payment of Income Tax on any income which accrues or arise to him (a) from any sources in the State of Sikkim, or (b) by way of dividend or interest on securities.


By explanation to that Section, the term Sikkimese has been defined. For persons who have not been covered under the definition of the term Sikkimese but who have been residing in Sikkim prior to the merger of the State in the Indian Union, my Government is vigorously pursuing with the Government of India to exempt them also from payment of Income Tax.


All policies and programmes are being implemented in a most transparent and democratic manner with equal representation of the people. This will be further consolidated through the local body elections to be held shortly at Gangtok.


My Government believes that important infrastructure projects such as telecommunication, transport network and power are vital in creation of a stable and peaceful society, for it ushers in progress and prosperity in the State.


The restoration of the NH 31A has begun. I am glad to inform that under the aegis of the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme in the North East Region, the Government of India, has agreed to construct an alternative highway from Sevoke in West Bengal to Gangtok and the road from Gangtok to Nathula.


The Cabinet Committee headed by the Prime Minister has recently sanctioned the rail link to Sikkim as a National Project. The rail link would connect Sevoke to Rangpo in the first phase and Rangpo to Bhusuk in Gangtok in the second phase. The tender for the locational survey in respect of this rail link has been awarded by the North Eastern Frontier Railway and the work on identification of land for acquisition is to begin shortly.


The work on the Rs. 309. 46 crore Pakyong Airport has since commenced under the aegis of the Airport Authority of India. The construction would be completed within the next three years. The Airport is expected to greatly benefit the State in terms of tourism promotion and other economic advantages which would percolate once we are connected by air.


The people of the State are looking forward to rapid progress and dawn of a new era. It is now time to shape and mould our society in which we move towards prosperity and happiness. I am confident you will motivate the people to put the State interest above sectional wants. The onus and responsibility is yours to take the State and our people to greater heights. My Government is fully committed to the hopes and aspirations of the Sikkimese people and is working tirelessly to ensure a better future.


Honb’le members, the People of Sikkim have given you an overwhelming mandate and have opted for a Government that can serve the people efficiently, effectively and usher in an era of good governance.


In conclusion, I wish this august Assembly very productive and fruitful deliberations. Together, let us work to make Sikkim a developed State of the Indian Union in every respect.


JAI HIND