Residential Certificates will provide all benefits to old settlers: Chamling


Sikkim Express | www.sikkimexpress.com



GANGTOK, August 16: Chief Minister Pawan Chamling said on his Independence Day address here at Pajlor Stadium yesterday that proposed Residential Certificates will provide all benefits to those Sikkimese persons who had been residing in Sikkim before 1975.

The Chief Minister also defended the State government’s decision to distribute Pink Cards to Sikkim subject certificate holders.

The Pink Cards will further strengthen the Sikkim subject certificates and prevents the misuse of the certificates, said Chamling in his address during the State level 64th Independence Day celebrations. He urged the people not to get influenced by baseless rumours floating around on the Pink Card issue.

Addressing the 38,800 odd government employees in the State, the Chief Minister said that the employees should respect their responsibilities and make contributions to take Sikkim to greater heights of development.

“One will earn respect and get remembered for their duties and not posts”, said Chamling.

Highlighting the developmental programmes of the State government, the Chief Minister said that the SDF government is attempting to blend Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Nehru’s concept of development to achieve the desired results of a prosperous State.

“The State government looks forward to all-round participation of the people from all sections of the society to meet the developmental goals. We are also trying to bridge the urban-rural gap through Panchayati Raj Institution and local self-governance”, said Chamling.

The Chief Minister also announced that Block Administrative Centres (BAC) will be established at Chumbong, Chakung and Chongrang in West District and Nandugaon in South Sikkim. He also announced that State Bank Sikkim branches will be set up in all the BACs and the Panchayats will be empowered to issue trade licenses and appoint account clerks.

Chamling also announced allotment of discretionary funds to the Panchayats and Nagar Panchayats, covering 1000 hectares of land under irrigation by 2013 and establishing sub-regional offices of agriculture, horticulture and allied sectors to develop Sikkim as a total organic State by 2015.

The Chief Minister also released books on rhododendrons of Sikkim, Sikkim Organic Mission, Total Literacy Mission and road map of urbanization published by the concerned departments. He also launched the Chief Minister’s Rural Universal Financial Inclusion project. Four women each from the four Districts were handed the biometric token cards of the project on the occasion.

The ITBP, SSB, SAP, IRB, Sikkim Police, Home Guards, NCC, scouts and guides, road safety platoon, army pipe band and police brass and pipe band present a march past on the occasion.

Students of various schools teamed up to present attractive mass drills and traditional dances.

The SSB was adjudged as the over-all best platoon with Tashi Namgyal Senior Secondary School as the best NCC troop followed by Ranipool Senior Secondary School in the second place. The Madras Regiment Army pipe band received the best band award.