Sikkim CM Chamling calls on UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi
Sonia Gandhi accepts CM’s invitation to inaugurate ‘International Flower Festival’ in February 2013 in Sikkim
New Delhi, 7 June 2012:
The Chief Minister of Sikkim Pawan Chamling and President of the Sikkim Democratic front called on UPA Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi and offered his total support and full appreciation of her stewardship of the UPA Government which successfully steered the Indian economy in spite of global economic recession and the euro crisis. The Country under her leadership is taking development strides and is doing very well in the overall economic and the world scenario saturated with downturn. The Chief Minister, while doing so, spoke at length of the development and progress taking place in the State although the earthquake last year had set back the tempo of development for which he sought Special Central Assistance. The Chief Minister took this opportunity to strongly present the constitutional, political and economic steps and solutions in regard to the following crucial and important issues:
Reservation of Assembly seats for Limboo and Tamang communities in Sikkim Legislative Assembly:
The Chief Minister explained that the Government of India had so kindly recognized the Limboo and Tamang Communities of Sikkim as Scheduled Tribes vide SC&ST (Amendment) Act, 2002 but has not yet provided them reservation of seats in the Legislative Assembly of the State so far. The last Assembly elections held in 2009 were contested without this constitutional facility for these two communities who have been looking forwards eagerly to exercise their due democratic rights in the Assembly since 2002. Now that the formal National Census has taken place in 2011, the Chief Minister sought the personal intervention in the matter of expediting Government decision providing seats for these two communities in the Legislative Assembly of the State at the earliest. He further explained that the reservation of seats for the Bhutia-Lepcha communities was special identity seats provision which should not be touched while allocating seats for the Limboo and Tamang communities as Scheduled Tribes.
Grant of Scheduled Tribe status to the left out ethic communities of Sikkim:
The Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling apprised the Chairperson, UPA that during the erstwhile Chogyal’s regime, all three ethnic groups of Sikkim with equal seat reservation in the erstwhile National Assembly of Sikkim. Subsequently, Sikkim merged with the Union of India in 1975. However, the subsequent ‘Constitution (Sikkim) Scheduled Tribes Order, 1978 classified Bhutia (including Chumbipa, Dothapa, Dukpa, Kagatey, Sherpa, Tibetan, Tromopa, Yolmo) and the Lepcha as Scheduled Tribes, leaving out the entire gamut of ethnic Nepali community of Sikkim. In the process, the Nepali speaking tribes, who were recognized by then Chogyal as equal Subjects with due rights and recognition as other tribes became devoid of their rights and privileges vis-à-vis Bhutia and Lepcha communities.
He further explained that the left-out communities had put the largest stake in the merger process of Sikkim with Union of India who strongly feel that they were not treated appropriately. They also feel that Sikkim’s leaders and representatives at the time of merger also failed due to lack of proper advocacy and adequate explanation to argue the case in favour of the entire Sikkimese communities to be categorized as Scheduled Tribes. Had the leadership at that point of time, convinced the Government of India for the inclusive action, the widespread dismay and dissatisfaction among the left-out communities and a sense of betrayal for the hopes and aspirations today, could have been avoided, the Chief Minister informed.
Therefore, in this historical background of justice being denied , the issue of grant of Scheduled Tribe status to all the left out Sikkimese ethnic communities of Kirat Khambu Rai, Gurung, Mangar, Thami, Jogi, Sanyasi, Bahun, Chettri and Newar should be favourably decided at the earliest. Unless this sensitive issue is not addressed on time, on a time bound manner, the situation was likely to impact the peace and tranquility of the most peaceful State of the Nation. Subsequently, with the recognition of Limboo and Tamang communities, who belong to same ethno-cultural background as that of the left out communities, as STs, the expeditious recognition of all the remaining ethnic communities as Scheduled Tribes is the only logical outcome, said the Chief Minister.
Income Tax Exemption in respect of the left out communities including members of the old business communities of Sikkim:
The Government of India granted exemption to all the Sikkimese comprising of Sikkim Subject Certificate holders and their descendents belonging to Sikkimese Bhutia, Sikkimese Lepcha and the Sikkimese Nepali from the purview of Central Income Tax by providing necessary amendment to the Finance Act, 2008-2009. As a result, many settlers of Sikkim including the members of old business community were left out. This situation arose primarily because of the fact that the Sikkim Subject Certificate was made sole criteria for availing this exemption. There is a small population of other local communities including members of the old business community who happen to be old settlers of Sikkim and, presumably, did not wish to obtain the Sikkim Subject status them for some reasons. At the same time, some of their community contemporaries obtained the Sikkim subject then. In this aspect, the left-out old settlers including the members of business community feel discriminated and it was requested that the Central Government take sympathetic note of the situation for expeditious Redressal of the disparity by exempting members of these old business communities/settlers from payment of Income Tax too.
Grant of a Special Package (SPA-untied) of Rs. 6000 crores over and above the NDRF and Prime Minsiter’s Sikkim Earthquake Relief Package:
The Chief Minister informed the UPA Chairperson that Sikkim suffered the most devastating of the natural calamity in September 2011 leading to widespread destruction of property and loss of precious human lives. Because of the damaged caused by the September, 20122 earthquake, internal resources generation by way of trade tax, user charged from the energy and tourism sectors led to substantial short all in revenue. This trend would continue for some years especially in the power sector as the commissioning date of some of them have been deferred. The State was likely to face resource gap in the near future unless the Centre came forward to help the State to tide over the difficulty through appropriate interventions.
No doubt, the generous release of Prime Minister’s Special Package and the NDRF funds have provided us the immediate relief, but at the same time, a special one-time release of Rs. 600 crores as Special Package (SCA-Untied) would certainly act as an economic kick-starter to our growth of development as we were pursuing before the earthquake.
Lastly, the Chief Minister invited Sonia Gandhi to inaugurate the International Flower Festival in February 2013 in Sikkim. Sonia Gandhi gave a patient hearing to the Chief Minister on his long presentation and assured him of positive action from the Central Government and accepted the invitation to visit Sikkim in February 2013. The Chief Minister also offered his full support to the UPA candidates to be finalized for the country’s important offices of the President and the Vice-President.
Sikkim Mail
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