luxury Resort and Spa is a maiden venture of the Ambuja Neotia Group

Gangtok, February 5: The Chief Minister Shri Pawan Chamling laid the foundation stone of Guras Kutir, luxury Resort and Spa at Pangthang, East Sikkim, today. The luxury Resort and Spa is a maiden venture of the Ambuja Neotia Group with its headquarter in Kolkata. Guras Kutir is inspired by the glorious beauty of Sikkim and is named after the State’s Tree, the Rhododendron which is spread across 14 acres, and will command a majestic view of the Himalayas. The property will be built in phases and has been spread out over three components: boutique cottages, villas and a premium five star hotel with a casino.

 The Chief Minister while presenting his brief address mentioned that upcoming Guras Kutir is part of our long-term development agenda to harness the competitive advantage by promoting hospitality service in Sikkim. Sikkim is an investor-friendly State. This image is built brick by brick through a long process of interactions and discussion, he added. He also informed the Ambuja Neotia Group to ensure 100 percent recruitment from among the local Sikkimese and provide them opportunity to serve in this hotel being set up in Sikkim and added that required trade and category of workers should also be updated well on time so that the State Government would be able to train local people. He also assured to collectively preserve and promote the image of Sikkim being the most investor-friendly State.

 Mr Harshvardan, Noetia, Chairman, Ambuja Neotia Group in his welcome address spoke about the projects which will be architect by the Principal Architect Mr Channa Daswatte from Sri Lanka along with Mr Prashant Pradhan of Sikkim who will impart local knowledge, expertise and flavor.

The vote of thanks was proposed by Mr Vijay Shankar Dwivedi, Director, Ambuja Neotia Group.

Foundation Stone Laying Ceremony of Guras Kutir

A Luxury Resort & Spa

Pangthang, East Sikkim

February 5, 2013

Speech delivered by Hon’ble Chief Minister

Chairman, Ambuja Neotia Group, respected Shri Harshavardhan Neota ji, distinguished officials from the Corporate House, Hon’ble Minister and area MLA, Shri TT Bhutia sahib, Hon’ble Tourism Minister, Shri Bhim Dhungel sahib, Chief Secretary, Secretaries of the State Government and the distinguished guests present

Today I feel highly privileged to attend this foundation stone laying ceremony of this upcoming Guras Kutir. This is part of our long-term development agenda where we have tried to harness our competitive advantage by promoting hospitality service in Sikkim. Although we joined the Country’s planning process only towards the latter half of 1970s, yet Sikkim today is in the forefront of development discourse regionally and nationally, thanks to the participation and contribution forthcoming from successful entrepreneurs like Neota ji. I heartily congratulate and welcome the Chairman and all his able team for their commendable presence in Sikkim.

Ever since 1994, the State Government in Sikkim has worked out a well-defined development road map based on our natural resources. Promotion of eco-tourism, horticulture, floriculture, small scale industrial units and hydro-power generation are some of our priority sectors identified at the state level.

Through our consistent efforts and support from the Central Government, we have crossed many milestones in achieving our goals of making Sikkim as the premiere eco-tourism destination. In fact, the relative contribution of tertiary sector in GSDP over the decade has been higher compared to primary and secondary sectors. This speaks well for the landlocked and hilly State like Sikkim with limited land for productive cultivation and also explains as how we have been able to diversify our economic activities to engage our younger generation of educated Sikkimese into creative and productive profession.

The tourist footfall over the decade has increased by many folds because of our congenial environment. Cutting across sectors, we have accomplished integrated development of the State through competitive social security measures, intellectual-cultural enrichment with special attention to the progress and prosperity of dis-advantaged section of population.

Sikkim is an investor-friendly State. This image we have built brick by brick through a long process of interactions and discussion. We held Investors’ meetings in New Delhi and Kolkata and I also led a high level team of officials from the State to the South East Asian Countries and the six-nation European tour of Switzerland, Germany, Italy, France, Netherlands and England in 2006. In September 2007, we also attended the North East India Investment Conference in New York interacting extensively with investors based in the United States of America and the members of the Pravashi Bharatiya fraternity.

We were able to offer many of our progressive agenda duly showcasing our natural wealth and competitive advantages. During the tour period, we were able to project Sikkim in the right perspective as the premiere destination in terms of investment opportunities, wider tourism network and cross-cultural exchanges.

In addition to transport subsidy and certain tax concession, Sikkim as one of the North Eastern States also offers lot of incentives to prospective investors. As a result, our Government is working under joint venture for developing number of public facilities across the State. We have also received substantial investment in other sectors like hydro-power and pharmaceutical units, which are being developed, creating job opportunities for the local people.

From day one, our focus has been on promotion of clean and green development models without any adverse effect on our fragile ecology. For example, we have imposed total ban on use of plastic, killing of wild life, felling of trees, ban on grazing in reserved forest with host of environmental programs including Green Mission, Smriti Ban and Ten Minutes to Earth campaign.

Therefore, we are promoting nature-based tourism including village tourism, home stay, ekant bas and cultural tourism. One of the special features has been promotion of pilgrimage tourism where a large number of pilgrimage centres have been developed in Sikkim. These are based on our religio-cultural ethos and belief. Locations like Banjhankri Falls, statue of Guru Padmasambhava, Buddha Park, Statue of Chen Regiz, statue of Chogyal PT Namgyal at Deorali, Tantra Mantra Jantra centre, Ramanayan Village and Bungthing world and the ambitious Skywalk project at Bhaleydhunga will add extra flavour to our tourism venture. Some of them are extremely innovative in nature like the first-of-its-kind in India, the Siddheswara Dham in Namchi which is being conceived to locate all the holy char dhams of the Country in one complex. This has already engaged the imagination of the Indian people which offers holy darshan of all the dhams. Consequently, early acknowledgement has come our way when the Central Government recognized our effort by presenting us with the Most Innovative and Unique Tourism Project award for the year 2010-11.  

What we have achieved in the process has been creation of sustainable opportunity for our people to engage in productive occupation in both short-term and long-term basis. We have always tried to develop an even and complimentary growth in terms of manpower demand and supply graph in the State. Therefore, in order to prepare our people for all the emerging opportunities, we regularly sponsor our people for training in our own Institute of Capacity Building and Livelihood Schools and also send them outside the Country for intensive capacity building programs. The training program ranges from driving, carpentry, nursing, basic engineering to pilot training. Today, many of our young Sikkimese are gainfully engaged in different occupation across the State, County and some even in abroad. Our Government priority is to ensure that maximum job opportunities are created for our local educated youth. Hence, Shri Neota ji may like to indicate to the State Government the trade and category of workers that he would require in his Hotel here so that we would be able to train our own people for the upcoming hotel establishment. That way, I am sure he would ensure 100 percent recruitment from among the local Sikkimese and provide them opportunity to serve in this hotel being set up in Sikkim.

For 18 years, we have worked day and night to create a good image about Sikkim and the Sikkimese people nationally and internationally. Peace and security, so essential for progress of a Nation, characterise the Sikkimese society, which we have promoted at all cost and under all circumstances. Now, that we have been living in peace and security, I also expect a reciprocal gesture from all the enlightened, educated and common people to collectively preserve and promote the image of Sikkim being the most investor-friendly State.

Under the given circumstances and prevailing condition, we have been trying our level best to provide world class infrastructure in the State including quality roads. Greenfield Airport at Pakyong which is being developed by the Airport Authority of India is at an advanced stage of completion and we are hopeful that it would be operational within the scheduled date. In spite of the devastating earthquake of September 2011, we have been able to bring normal life back on track through massive relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction process.     

I am happy to note that in terms of promoting quality of life, Sikkim is a model State and the Number 1 Small State in the Country. We have earned distinct recognition for working towards environmental conservation, promote organic farming and duly ensure human security and human service of the highest standard. We must be ever alert to further protect and consolidate on our past achievement to achieve higher level of perfection and happiness among our people. Shri Neota ji and the corporate house that he leads and nurtures, I am sure, will walk that extra mile to make Sikkim even more beautiful, progressive and prosperous as a must-see destination, a home away from home, for the common man and for all the visiting tourists.

With this hope and on this note, I on behalf of the people of Sikkim, welcome you and everyone in your organization to this Himalayan State as one of our distinguished and valuable development partners.

I thank and congratulate the Sikkimese people and especially people from this locality for their cooperation and wish all of you great success ahead in the future.

Thank you very much

Thank you all

Jai Hind