CM makes a series of announcement on Garib Unmulan Diwas

NIRMAL MANGAR

GANGTOK, September 22: The Dasain bonanza was well timed. The twin celebrations – Sikkim Democratic Front’s (SDF) Garib Unmulan Diwas and Chief Minister Pawan Chamling’s 60th birthday was apt time for the SDF chief today to announce the 4th pay scale revision for all the State Government employees.

The programme attended by a large number of party supporters began with the cutting of the birthday cake by Mr. Chamling followed by the birthday song sung by the party workers.

In his three-hour long address, the Chief Minister highlighted the key developmental mantras needed for the development of Sikkim in the years to come. He said, the main objective of Garib Unmulan Diwas was not just meant for poverty eradication but also to free people from the clutches of negativities.

“Out of 1, 14, 000 houses in Sikkim, the Government has sanctioned funds for construction and renovation for 80,000 houses,” he said adding that the Central Government has already sanctioned Rs 13,000 crores for railway development up to Rangpo”. A sum of Rs 42 crores has been additionally allocated from Rangpo to Gangtok and the process is underway from Gangtok to Nathula, the Chief Minister said.

At the same time, he raised the need of more land near the Green Field Airport at Pakyong and invited interested land owners to give their lands at reasonable rates. The Chief Minister also announced that all the roads in the nook and corner of the State would soon be carpeted.

Resenting that many people with vested interests are causing provocation among educated youths in the name of caste, religion and community, the Chief Minister said, youths should turn deaf ear to such negative energies. For the legislators, Mr. Chamling hinted on maintaining discipline, uniformity and unity within the party. “The true leader always tries to bring paradigm shift in the thinking process of the people,” he said.

He further informed of visiting his constituency after Dasain holidays mainly to discuss the developmental aspects for the next five years.

While sharing his plan of giving another round of beautifying Gangtok, the Chief Minister opined of naming the National Highway 31-A from Deorali to Metro Point as Fashion Street and from Paljor Stadium to Sichey as Food Street.

While Fashion Street would have all kinds of branded retail shops, Food Street would have jaunts where both locals and visitors can savour their favourite food, he said.

In the same vein, he advised the youths to honour dignity of labour and urged them to follow the same without any second thoughts. As far as industrial set ups are concerned, the Chief Minister suggested abolishing contractual system for the deployment of local workers in their establishment. Mr. Chamling further urged the youth to upgrade themselves while announcing that more government job vacancies are in the anvil.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister released two books – ‘Spiritual Manifestation of Guru Padmasambhava’ and ‘Sikkim Janadesh’.

The celebration also marked felicitation to the Chief Minister by the party workers for winning four awards in the recently held India Today State of the States Conclave in New Delhi.

Earlier, DD Bhutia, the vice president of the party called for unity in the party with utmost dedication and sincerity. He also called for the constructive ‘parivartan’ in the party.