Gangtok, 14th August 2008
Dear Sisters and Brothers.
Please accept my greetings and good wishes on the auspicious occasion of the 62nd Independence Day of our great nation. On this happy occasion, I congratulate the Independence Day awardees for meritorious service and personnel of the Sikkim Police medal recipients.
Let us solemnly remember the freedom fighters who under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi valiantly fought and secured freedom of our motherland. The freedom we enjoy today is a result of the supreme sacrifices made by the gallant freedom fighters. Let us strive with greater vigour to uphold the aspirations and actualise the dreams of these great souls.
The country over the last 61 years has marched on an accelerated path of social and economic development and has made great strides in all sectors.
We have a bold economic agenda in the 11th Plan and its goal is to achieve sustainable growth rate of 9.0% which would make us an important economy in the world. At this rate of sustained growth many economists forecast that India would, over the coming decades, make a more pronounced economic and political impact on the world stage.
India’s economy is diverse, encompassing agriculture, handicrafts, textile, manufacturing and a multitude of services. Although, two thirds of the Indian workforce still earns their livelihood directly or indirectly through agriculture, services are a growing sector and play an increasingly important role in India’s economy. The advent of the digital age has enabled a large number of young and educated populace fluent in English to play a significant role in the modern economy. The efforts of our software engineers and managers are gradually transforming India as an important ‘back office’ destination for global outsourcing of customer services and technical support. India is a major exporter of highly-skilled workers in software and financial services and software engineering. Other sectors like manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, nanotechnology, telecommunication, shipbuilding, aviation, tourism and retailing are showing strong potentials with higher growth rates.
We in Sikkim are working for inclusive social order and making efforts for a high growth regime. With these aims in mind, Sikkim has marched ahead to find a place for itself in the national mainstream. Our progress in democratic and planned development has generated ample social and economic security to the people. Choices have been broadened and hopes have transformed into opportunities. The journey so far has been rewarding and the development efforts satisfactory.
In the 11th Plan, the State has included in the common minimum programme various flagship initiatives and the developmental goals with emphasis on human development.
The successive annual plan document has been framed with a view to reconcile growth concerns which influence the well being of the State and its people. The urban-rural disparity and consequent migration from the rural areas is attempted to be controlled by vigorous implementation of anti-poverty programmes which has been launched by my government.
The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in the State is being implemented with active involvement of rural bodies. This would go a long way in ensuring livelihood security linkage with the need for development of social and human capital for securing both growth and equity aspirations.
We have made substantial progress and our achievements over the past decade speak for itself. The vision of my government is ambitious and we seek to make Sikkim a prosperous State with effective public private partnership, thriving trade, abundant power generation, maximum growth in tourism sector and more focus on horticulture and floriculture. A competitive and vibrant economy will keep poverty, illiteracy and unemployment at bay. My government is working in this direction.
Broadly our economic strategy focuses on areas like removal of poverty and creation of employment opportunity and income generation in the private sector- particularly in agriculture, horticulture, floriculture and tourism.
My government has vigorously taken up capacity building for the youth since the last financial year. Sufficient funds has been earmarked in the current financial year for capacity building of educated unemployed youth who are being encouraged to take up job orientated training programmes and to look for employment outside the government.
A Directorate of Capacity Building exists in the Department of Personnel and Training exclusively for this purpose and in the year 2007-2008, a total of 319 boys and girls have been sponsored for various training programmes outside the State. Besides capacity building, soft loans are being provided to students opting for higher studies within and outside the country as also to unemployed youth for self employment ventures.
We realise that there has to be an integrated approach in the development process involving all agents of social change. The process of involving village panchayats in the spread and implementation of sustainable programmes has already been initiated. The process of decentralisation has been put in place and involvement of Panchayats, self help groups are being taken for service delivery, so as to ensure the sustainability of our development agenda. Empowerment of women is also high on our agenda and forty percent of seats in Panchayats have been reserved for them.
The decision of the leaders and people of Sikkim to merge with the Indian Union in 1975 and their resolve to adopt the democratic process in governance are praiseworthy. Our leaders wanted us to build an inclusive social and political order. We have moved towards this with a great degree of success. It is no wonder that Sikkim is considered as one of the best states of the Indian Union
We have, however, miles to go. On this landmark day in our national history, we have to resolve to make Sikkim the first State of the Indian Union where there will be no family below the poverty line. Sikkim should also become the first State of the Indian Union where there will be 100 percent literacy.
Today is also the day to celebrate our democratic and pluralistic ethos. Our forefathers have taught us to live together, to respect another person’s point of view and build a harmonious social order. May these principles continue to guide us in all our activities in the years to come.
The challenges before us are formidable and enormous. Let us all work together with earnestness towards making Sikkim a model State in the country.
JAI HIND
