Chief Minister Chamling Announces New Development Initiative On The Occasion Of 64th Independence Day - Universal Financial Inclusion Project (CMRUFI) Formally Launched.

While we observe this eventful 64^th Independence Day of our great Nation, I would like to announce some new and more imaginative socio-economic measures which will provide speed and momentum to our overall effort at fulfilling the many Missions’ goals as indicated above:

1.     To further provide additional marketing facility to our farmers, four Kisan Bazars in four districts shall be constructed followed by seventeen Kisan Bazars at the BDO level in the villages. Likewise, Community Centres, Play Ground and Knowledge Centre shall be developed in each of these centres;

2.     A new Block Administrative Centre shall be established at Machong Parakha where BDO and other functionaries have been already posted;

3.     New BACs in Chumbung-Chakung and Chongrang in West Sikkim, Nandu Gaon Chisopani in South and Martam in East Sikkim shall be established;

4.     I am also pleased to announce opening of State Bank of Sikkim branch office at all the BACs across the State;

5.     The panchayats will issue Trade licenses in their respective jurisdiction;

6.     The Panchayats will appoint Accounts Assistants in their respective units;

7.     We have instituted annual Discretionary Fund for the panchayats for the first time in the State, which is categorized as follow:

(i)                            Rs. 10,000 for GPU President, Zilla Member and Nagar 

                              Panchayat President;

(ii)                         Rs. 7,000 for Vice President of GPU, Council Member and 

                             Nagar Panchayat Vice-President;

(iii)                       Rs. 6,000 for Secretary of GPU, and

(iv)                       Rs. 5,000 for GPU Member and Nagar Panchayat Member;

8.     All GPU centres shall be fully computerized;

9.     A new campaign namely Mukhya Mantri Sakhsarta Abhiyan shall be launched within August 2010 in all the GPUs and the urban body centres to fully transform Sikkim into a literate state;

10.                        Pre-Primary Teachers  have been posted in each ward under all GPUs for providing non-formal education to people between the age group between 15 to 70;

11.                        The ongoing enumeration under the Chief Minister’s Universal Financial Inclusion programme shall be completed within this financial year;

12.                        We will work vigorously to make Sikkim kutcha house free and slum free and BPL free state by 2015 and earn the first distinction to achieve this feat in the Country;

13.                        The State Government is also pleased to announce setting up of sub-regional centres at the village level and depute Agriculture Development Officer, Horticulture Development Officer and Veterinary Officer under Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Husbandry Departments;

14.                        The existing VLW centres and Livestock centre shall be further strengthened;

15.                        During our last terms, we irrigated a total of 9,215 hectares of land; by 2013 an additional 10,000 hectares of land shall be fully irrigated to cover all the cultivable land;

16.                        The existing monthly Old Age Pension grant of Rs. 400 shall be enhanced to Rs. 600.

17.                        For the differentially abled persons in the State, the monthly grants of Rs. 500 shall be further enhanced to Rs. 600;

18.                        The monthly grant under the State Government’s program of Samajik Bhatta of Rs. 500 shall be further enhanced to Rs. 600.

19.                        Works below Rs. 50 lakhs shall be given to the registered Cooperative Societies for execution falling within a particular GPU. Further, Cooperative Societies shall be given preferential treatment for grant of work amounting to Rs. 2 crores;

20.                        Sikkim would be the first State in the Country to achieve the distinction of being a Total Organic State. In fact, Sikkim is the first State to work on patent right and organic certification covering the entire State.

21.                        Of all the political demands, the State Government will continue to pursue with the central government for early resolution of pending issues like granting of tribal status for the remaining ethnic communities in Sikkim; granting of seat reservation for the Limboo and Tamang communities; primitive tribe status for the Lepcha community; and increase in the Sikkim Legislative seats to 40 and 2 parliamentary seats each in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha from the existing 1.