Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling writes to Home Minister Rajnath Singh extending support to Gorkhaland hills movement for peace & prosperity in the region
Amalendu Kundu
Gangtok: Sikkim Government is now firmly behind the Gorkhaland movement of Darjeeling hills. Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling on June 22 made a plea to the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh at a crowded celebration meeting of 23 years of ‘Sampoorna Kranti Diwas’. He also engineered a unanimous resolution on the issue by ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) leaders.
In the meeting, Chamling, who has been in power in Sikkim for nearly 23 years, mentioned that he has sent a message to the Union Home Minister that ‘fulfillment of the constitutional demand of the people in Darjeeling hills will provide long awaited justice to their patriotism, which has been second to none.
He said creation of Gorkhaland state will also restore permanent peace and prosperity in the region, and Sikkim will be hugely benefited. Chamling reminded the Home Minister that Sikkim Legislative Assembly had already adopted a resolution in 2011 on the issue urging the Central Government to ensure ‘a permanent solution to the pressing and long standing problem of the people of Darjeeling hills. He said Sikkim has been suffering ‘untold loss owing to the recurring blockage of its one and only lifeline NH-10, during the last 30 years of Gorkhaland agitation.
Chamling declared a series of developmental programmes and assured that by the year 2020 Sikkim would become a model state in the country. The State would be self-sufficient on economic front.
The CM appealed to people to go for organic food habit for ecological balance. He pointed out that his government has started work to make Sikkim the most favoured national tourism destination by 2019-2020.
He also disclosed that the state government has entered into an MoU with Intamin Transportation Ltd of Switzerland to conduct a feasibility study for Monorail project in Gangtok. He assured that the first phase of the project from Ranipool to Gangtok – a 13 km distance – would likely be completed by 2018. Once completed it would solve the recurrent traffic congestion during peak hours. He said more ropeway projects would be coming up in West Sikkim and other towns. At present five ropeways are in operation. He assured that a ropeway to Changu Lake would be operational by July next.
He said more playground stadiums, organic farming, hotels industries, hydro power projects are coming up soon. At the movement, Sikkim is generating 2500 MW hydel power and more preference is to be given to service sectors.
Chamling also said that the state would be 100 per cent pollution-free and ensured chemical-free farming, train 1000 educated youths to act as tourist guides, another 1000 youth to be trained as linemen, 500 youths to be trained as water filter. Similarly, 466 family teachers will be trained as tutors for students, especially in subjects like Science, Commerce and English, Mathematics, Biology, etc.
The CM and SDF party supporters will observe silver jubilee of Chamling government in 2019. It is to be noted that Pawan Chamling will break the record of former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu as longest serving Chief Minister in March 2018.
Meanwhile, the Sikkim government put another feather in its cap when its capital city Gangtok was given the rank of 30th smart city in the country. This was announced by Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu in New Delhi on 22 June. He proposed an investment of Rs 57393 crore for development of cities under smart city plan. n
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