Net State Domestic Product of Sikkim stands at 17% is the highest in India

Gangtok, 1st March: State Level Sammelan for Panchayats and Urban local bodies was held today at Manan Kendra, Gangtok. 

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Mr Pawan Chamling reiterated the policy of the Government to make Sikkim a kutcha house free state by 2015, and urged the concerned departments as well as Panchayats to ensure timely implementation of schemes like CMRHM and REDRH. He called on the Panchayats to clearly communicate the government's programmes and policies to the people to avoid any disillusionment. Mr Chamling maintained that Sikkim boasts of being the only state in the country to spend majority of its budget on welfare schemes. He also informed that Sikkim is the only State to register a swift decline in poverty rate. He went on to share his government's vision to make Sikkim a poverty-free state in the coming years. The Chief Minister also shared that the Net State Domestic Product of the State which stands at 17% is the highest in the country.

The Chief Minister also highlighted the progress made by the State in sectors like hydro-electricity generation, Eco-tourism, organic farming, industries and urbanisation. In order to maintain and sustain these rapidly growing sectors the Government has laid maximum impetus on human resource development, he added.

The Chief Minister also mentioned that the Governement has made distinct policies to empower the cooperative sector and urged the Panchayats to strictly intervene in case of any discrepancy in the implementation of public work. 

In the course of his address the Chief Minister also made a few announcements of decisions taken in the recent Cabinet meeting. He announced that the  cadres of the Rural Development Assistants have been reviewed by the government duly ensuring proper promotional avenues to them. He also announced that the monthly honorarium of Gram, Zilla and the Urban Local Bodies have also been reviewed and doubled by the government w.e.f. 1st April 2014.

Earlier, the Chief Minister was felicitated by the State Institute of Rural Development, Karfectar. 

The Programme was also addressed by Minister RMDD Mr C.B. Karki and Secretary RMDD Mr. D.R. Nepal. The programme concluded with the vote of thanks proposed by Director Panchayat Mr H.B. Gurung.