CM ON INDEPENDENCE DAY

People need to draw lesson from history to make correct political decision: Chamling

Staff Reporter

GANGTOK, August 14: The Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling has focused on the twin ideas of development and citizens’ responsibly on the occasion of Independence Day.
Highlighting an impressive array of achievements recorded under his fourteen and half years governance, the Chief Minister has presented a series of futuristic activities for the people of Sikkim to be undertaken on an urgent basis including addressing the connectivity issues.

In his Independence Day address, the Chief Minister informed the people that announcement for an alternative highway for Sikkim has been announced by the Centre. “The work will commence soon”, he said.

“Construction of Green field Airport at Pakyong shall commence within a month and shall be operational by July 2011”.

Connectivity issues have been long pending demand of Sikkim with its sole road link, NH 31 A subject to natural and political disturbances triggering hardships and financial losses to the state.

Raising this issue in his Independence Day address, the Chief Minister said that loss Sikkim have suffered on a daily basis during such disturbance have been over Rs. 4 crores while the mental agony and other forms of sufferings inflicted by such closure and disturbances are ‘too large’ to assess.

The Chief Minister also announced that construction of Degree College at Geyzing and Mangan will start early. He also expressed his commitment to develop the Sikkim Central University into a world-class educational destination.

Other undertakings slated to be conducted early were construction of Teachers’ Guest House at Syari and guest houses for C & D group employees at Namchi, Geyzing and Gangtok. A statue of Chenrezi shall be installed at appropriate location in West Sikkim.

A 500 bedded modern hospital at Sokethang near Tadong with state of art technology equipments for specialized treatment was announced by the Chief Minister. Government grants of Rs.50,000 for construction of cultural bhawans for Mangar, Tamang and
Newar communities was also announced by the Chief Minister. Traditional healers also stand to gain with a monthly pension of Rs.500 under Samajeek Seva Bhatta scheme of the state government.

As to where Sikkim stands today, the Chief Minister claimed that his government has been able to successfully provide the basic necessities of life to the people of Sikkim besides working to shift the mindset of the people from the consumerism culture towards productive human resources by tapping the abundant opportunities that nature had bestowed the state.

“As part of our thrust areas and engines of growth, we have hydel power projects, eco-tourism, horticulture and floriculture, among others”, he said.
With hydel power to be the major source of revenue for the state, Chamling said that the revenue will be Rs.1140 crores by 2020 from the agreements signed with the independent power producers for generation of 3364 MW of hydel power.

Mr. Chamling pointed that this year is “little different” from the previous years for the “obvious reason” and appealed the people to “draw lesson from history” to reach a correct political decision.

“Our endeavour has been to make our people politically conscious and they need to draw lesson from history to make correct political decision through their own discretion and wisdom. If they are unable to take lesson from history and exercise their democratic rights fully, people will be forever betrayed and let down”, Mr. Chamling said. He appealed the people to continue to fight against all the ‘anti-people and anti-developmental elements’ within the state.

Introspecting on the early days of government formation in 1994, the Chief Minister recollected that challenges were many and with limited means to address them.
“…today we have vibrant democracy in the State with peace and tranquility as our hallmark. This is clearly reflected in the image we have projected and built about Sikkim and the Sikkimese people at the regional, national and international level”, he said.

Deliberating on rights and responsibilities, Mr. Chamling said that the two were “two sides of the same coin.” “One can not sustain in the absence of other. For the society to prosper, each member should be conscious about his rights and also fully committed to carry out his responsibility. People should be adequately empowered to be more responsible and responsive and also capable of utilizing their rights and privileges provided under democratic system,” he said.

“The dream of self-sufficient Sikkim and the self-contented Sikkimese shall not be fulfilled unless we shed off our lethargy and soft life syndrome. Every citizen will have to be more responsible towards his family, society, State and the nation,” he added.

( Source: Sikkim Express)