M.G.ROAD,
GANGTOK ,SIKKIM
The Chairman
13th Finance
Commission
Government of India
Camp: Gangtok
Hon’ble Sir,
Sikkim Chamber of
Commerce greets Dr Vijay L. Kelkar, Chairman,
Shri B K Chaturvedi, Dr Indira Rajaraman, Dr Sanjeev Mishra, Prof Atul
Sarma and Shri Sumit Bose- members of 13th Finance Commission and wish a
comfortable stay in Sikkim . We sincerely hope that your visit will bring more
prosperity to Sikkim
The merger of Sikkim with India Sikkim
Dr Pawan Chamling,
Honorable Chief Minister the visionary personality has brought many new ideas
of governance in Sikkim
Sikkim, the tiny
Himalayan State is a paradise on earth where nature has been the kindest
possible, bestowing its people with topography ranging from 300 feet to to
28000 feet and as a result of which varieties of climates from Polar to Sub
tropical, flora and fauna , people and
their cultures exist here in the most harmonious manner under the blessings of
our guardian deity Mt Kanchenjunga. Sikkim
Placing due
recognition to the strategic location of the State, it is imperative that the
Union Government does all that is possible to maintain peace and tranquility in
the region by uplifting the standard of living, making the people more
knowledgeable, competitive and accessible to different modes of modernization
that are urgently required for overall development of the State and its people
Though principally an agricultural
State, the region is fast attaining the position of a favoured tourism
destination and the youths are inclined towards making it best by exploring
newer vistas, determined in making tourism as an alternate source of
constructive employment . It is desired that the Commission takes due
cognizance of this necessity of the
people and recommend continuous and larger resources for creation of additional facilities like development of
adventure parks, ropeway from Gangtok to Nathula and new assets in village
tourism.
We are grateful to
Government of India
In this context may we
submit here that since the area is landslide prone and often subjected to blockades due to
various reasons including vagaries of nature, an alternate double lane highway
, is most immediately required connecting Nathula to Siliguri which can be used
in peace time for trade and transit and during war times to protect the nation,
such that the process of development, trade, commerce and industry goes ahead uninterrupted.
And since this process
of creating infrastructure is likely to take
4 to 7 years, introduction of a subsidized 18 seater helicopter service
is solicited at the earliest.
This Chamber is
grateful to the Government of India
for having announced setting up of Industrial Training Institutes at all
district headquarters in Sikkim
• Home entrepreneurs should be encouraged
for setting up industries by providing them additional benefits.
• Since the upcoming Hydel Power Projects
shall be generating huge power energy to the tune of 5500 MWs by the next 10
years and 12% free power to be given by them to the State shall be in excess of
domestic requirements, home entrepreneurs could be considered for highly
subsidised power supply as in the case of Meghalaya.
• Reduction of excise duty exemption
benefits as earlier available vide Policy
on Industries in North East has started producing negative results and this is
viewed as detrimental to the growth of industries/employment in Sikkim. It is
prayed that 100% excise duty exemption be continued as announced in the Industrial Policy 2007.
• In view of the coming National Goods and
Services tax regime which shall ultimately ensure uniformity of prices
nationwide in the interest of consumer, this Chamber requests that all the
allied taxes like Toll Tax and Environment Cess etc be abolished and help
smooth running of trade, commerce &
industry.
• In view of rich forest wealth the State
is blessed with, the Commission be kind enough to recommend allowing
exploration of medicinal herbs on a commercial basis which could be monitored
and regulated by an appropriate authority.
• With due respect to the high quality of
talent, environment friendly atmosphere, fast connectivity, and easy
adaptability of people, it is felt that the State could be developed into a
model centre to house I T Parks, Call Centres, BPO Centres etc which would
definitely be more economical here and shall provide employment and revenue to
the State.
• It is seen that there is a continuous
movement of youth from villages to towns to find employment which has resulted
in burdening the already constrained resources of the towns and weakened the
rural base making development lopsided. We are of the considered view that there
is a need to encourage development of the State as a totally Urban State and
the Commission be kind enough to liberally fund the state on this account.
• Various incentives like Income tax and Excise duty exemptions and a lot of subsidies has attracted a number of giant Pharma Units whose total investment in a few years will be more than 5000 crores. Besides providing employment, it has raised the land prices to the benefit of local owners and changed the mind framework of the local community towards enterprises. A number of industrial subsidiaries sponsored by
• Education has been the prime target to
make people more knowledgeable and a free education with free text book
and meals, has been a big attraction to
lure children to schools. 82% of the population is now educated. Besides, Sikkim University is working hard for providing on a perennial
basis streams of knowledge for people of Sikkim Sikkim shall ever remain
grateful if the Commission is kind enough to recommend setting up of a Regional Engineering College
• Sir, We are not far behind in Sports. Our
ace footballer Bhaichung Bhutia is bringing national laurels. The Government is
creating infrastructure for sports developments and in several sports Sikkim
Health Tourism is an
area where we can put more think tank. These days Health tourism has become a
great forex earner. Since Sikkim has a very healthy climate, it is suggested
that Government of India can enmark a fund to make a Study on how and In what
way an attractive package can be developed to attract patients for health
rejunuvation in Sikkim. Investments on physical assets development could be
thought of once the study is completed.
After the visit of our
Honourable Chief Minister to Europe and US, he visualized making Towns of Sikkim Sikkim
Sikkim today exhibits
an excellent example of brotherhood and friendship between all its inhabitants,
the Lepchas, The Bhutias, the Nepalis and the Plainsmen who have made Sikkim
Sir, we are grateful
to Government of India for giving exemption from Direct taxes to Sikkim Subject
Holders and we request that all the “LEFT OUT SIKKIMESE” living here since the
days of the monarchy are also dealt with in uniform manner with due respect to
their sentiments and sense of belonging with this soil
Under the dynamic
leadership of Dr Pawan Chamling Sikkim
has great future and things are on the positive notes all over Sikkim City State
We have the highest
regard for this Commission and we hope that you will understand the special
situation of Sikkim , its
strategic location, its difficult terrain and remoteness, its warm people and its natural wealth
and recommend more resources for development of this land of Kanchenjunga
May Guru
Padmasambhava’s blessings ever remain on all of us.
With highest regards,
Yours truly,
S.K.Sarda
President
GANGTOK: 10TH NOV.2008.
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