Golay asks Centre to declare rebuilding of NH 10 a project of national importance

IPR, GANGTOK, MAY 28, 2023 : Addressing the NITI Aayog meeting in Delhi on Saturday, Chief Minister of Sikkim Prem Singh Tamang requested the Centre to declare the rebuilding of National Highway 10 a project of national importance for frontline connectivity. 

He mentioned the importance of N.H.10 as the lifeline of Sikkim and also for its role in ensuring national security and the development of Sikkim. 

He said the foreign policy priorities of India, including the Act East Policy, the Neighbourhood First Policy, Cooperative Federalism and Comprehensive Connectivity with Neighbours could make Sikkim, the north-east region, and the neighbouring countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal a successful growth plaza. 

He urged the Centre to build a multi-modal corridor with a modern integrated check post between Sikkim and eastern Nepal through Chewa Bhanjyang. 

The Sikkim Government, he said, had already started building a road from Uttaray to the vicinity of Chewa Bhanjyang. He requested the NITI Aayog to establish an export-oriented industry-empowered organic food park and free trade warehousing zone in Sikkim. 

Most of the micro, small and medium enterprises in the State were based on mountain agriculture heritage and services like tourism, health, education, energy and traditional crafts, he said. Seeking the support of the Centre to explore ways to address the concern of Sikkim of marketing, he recalled the advice of the Prime Minister during the National Conference of Chief Secretaries held in Dharamsala in June 2022 regarding the issue of drone transportation of fruits and other perishable products from the interior areas to markets. 

The Chief Minister said the Sikkim Government was designing a New Industrial Policy and also an Ease of Doing Business frame work. 

To support the start-ups, he emphasized on the need to have schemes like North East Industrial Development Scheme that would encourage investors and investment from South East Asian countries and extend incentives to green investment areas including energy, environmental services, climate change, and green industrial ventures. 

The Chief Minister said that the Sikkim Government was setting up short-term and long-term measures to deal with climate change, focusing on the importance of national security and human security. 

"While we are constituting a high-level Climate Change Impact and Mitigation Commission to suggest preparatory strategies and mitigation policies, we have also implemented an innovative green initiative namely Mero Rukh Mero Santati," the Chief Minister said. 

 The Chief Minister informed that the state of Sikkim had achieved the highest per capita income in the country and that the first India Multi-dimensional Poverty Index Report published by NITI Aayog had declared Sikkim as the state with the third lowest percentage of the population who were multi-dimensionally poor in India. 

The Chief Minister expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister for providing Sikkim the opportunity to successfully host two prestigious G-20 and B-20 Engagement Group meetings. The meetings had held important discussions on the various avenues for investment in the State, especially in the areas of tourism, organic farming, and start-ups, he said.