Sikkim: 4-Day Budget Session 2010-11 begins

Chief Minister Shri Pawan Chamling unveils Mission 2015 for Sikkim

   [To see the complete text of Budget Speech (click here)]

Gangtok, June 22, 2010
The Chief Minister Pawan Chamling who also holds the Finance portfolio, presented the Annual Plan Budget for the year 2010-11 allocated by the Planning Commission, Government of India of Rs. 1,175 crores. This was announced at the first day of the 4-day Budget Session yesterday, June 21, 2010. The discussion and voting on the same is scheduled for tomorrow. Also today, the CM laid the excess Demands for Grants for the financial year 2005-06.

The budget provides for a marginal revenue deficit of Rs. 35 lakh rupees. It may be informed that this year’s budget is an increase of 12.4% over the 2009-10 plan allocation of Rs. 1,045 crores which also includes a special plan assistance of Rs. 200 crores in the form of grants for projects of special importance to the State. Further, the allocation also includes an additional central assistance of Rs. 301.10 crores earmarked for special projects approved by the Planning commission.

The CM, in turn, highlighted that the budget was crafted towards delivering on expressed policies like the poverty free mission where he said that Rs. 20 crores from this budget would be allocated; for the Sikkim self reliant mission he has allocated Rs. 12 crores, similarly for the social security mission a sum of Rs.1 crore has been allocated along with a proposal to enhance the daily wages of MR workers and Home Guards to Rs. 130 at a minimum to Rs. 190 at the maximum.

“I propose that this be officially implemented in the state with effect from July 1, 2010,” he exhorted.

Further, the Chief Minister announced that the process of enlistment under universal financial inclusion scheme will be completed within this financial year. Similarly, while mentioning that Sikkim had the best student to teacher ration at 1:16, he stated that the state would be a total literate state by 2015 with the highest budget allocation of 20 percent in the country. He also allocated Rs. 50 lakhs for the further development of the Soreng B.Ed. College and announced the allocation of Rs.10 crores for the extension of available educational incentives up to Class VIII students like free books, uniforms, shoes etc.

Under the Healthy Sikkim Mission, which the government intends to achieve by 2015 through initiatives like CATCH for which he earmarked a sum of Rs. 2 crores for this financial year and Rs.30 crores for the multi specialty hospital at Sichey.

An amount of Rs. 1 crore has also been allocated for establishing a new Pharmacy College at the Leprosy Hospital Complex at Sajong. Further, an allocation of Rs. 11 crores has also been made for purchasing quality equipment, nutritious food and medicines for recuperating patients in the state.

Here, it was also announced that health insurance for all Sikkimese shall be taken up during this financial year with a similar provision to cover all government employees under health insurance after evolving appropriate modalities.

While on the producer state aspirations, he stated that the State was making tremendous progress in poultry processing, fisheries training centre at Rangpo, trout farms at Kyongnosla and Baba Mandir, distribution of 750 high yielding cows and establishment of a Mother Dairy farm at Karfectar.

He also announced that a tie-up with Himalaya Drug Company, Bangalore shall boost the rural economy through contractual farming with 100 % buy-back of the production of Chirata, Kutki and Bojo and other medicinal plants without any expenditure of the state government.

Also, to provide proper marketing facilities to farmers, four Kisan Bazaars in four districts shall be constructed followed by sixteen Kisan Bazaars at the BDO level in the villages, and for this he allocated a sum of Rs. 9 crores for the current financial year.

Likewise, Rs. 20 crores has been allocated for the Sikkim Origanic Mission, while Rs. 30 lakhs for the Sikkim Green Mission and another Rs. 30 lakhs for the Bio-technology mission during this financial year.

He also added here that the government was also formulating legislations like Clean Air Act, Water Quality Act, Environment Policy Act, Perticide Act and Endangered Species Act. Further, he also allocated a sum of Rs. 1 crore for 2010-11 for strengthening the green campaign.

The commitment to make Sikkim a total eco-tourism destination is very much on line. Also today, the CM announced a seed allocation for the Ramayan Basti project. Also, Rs.200 crores has been sanctioned by the 13th Finance Commission for the development of the Sky-walk at Bhaleydhunga.

Harnessing of hydro-power potential, and allocation of Rs.7crores for beautification and modernizations of all the 17 bazaars and towns, complete decentralization and devolution for which he allocated Rs. 5 crores for the Panchayat Discretionary Fund, similarly for the MLA-local Area Development Fund Rs.8 Crores has been sanctioned, while under the village development mission a sum of Rs.50 lakhs for undertaking village action plan and designing.