Assembly seeks reserved seats ‘soon after’ publication of Census 2011

GOVT RESOLUTION TIES IN SEATS FOR LIMBOOS AND TAMANGS, INCREASE IN ASSEMBLY STRENGTH AND ST STATUS FOR ALL SIKKIMESE
GANGTOK: The concluding day of the week-long budget session at the Sikkim Legislative Assembly Tuesday unanimously passed the Rs.8, 090 crore budget for the financial year 2011-12 today. It may be informed here that this is a 62 percent increase over the previous year and was tabled by the Chief Minister on Saturday, with voting and discussions held yesterday.
The Chief Minister also brought in the Government Resolution No 4 of 2011 today with three main points: Reservation of seats for Limboo and Tamang tribal communities in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly, the increase in the number of seats to forty in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly and Notifying the remaining Sikkimese as Scheduled Tribes, which was considered and adopted unanimously by the House today.
In his vote of thanks, the CM remarked that the SDF government has ‘secured’ the delivery of almost all the issues ‘promised’ to the people of Sikkim. He stated that he was ‘committed’ towards the remaining three points [listed in the Resolution], which, he announced, he would ‘actively’ pursue with the Centre and also assured that even the Karmapa to Rumtek aspiration of the people, which was a long-pending demand of the State government, would also be “made heard” at the highest level.

“We have been pursuing these demands since we came into power 17 years back. Most of the major demands like the I-T exemption for Sikkim Subjects, tribal status for the Limboo and Tamang communities, Sikkim’s inclusion in the North East Council and reopening of the Nathula trade route have already been achieved, thus, it is only time which is keeping these remaining demands also from being cleared”, he explained.
The bundle of three commitments submitted in a common Resolution today are so because they are interlinked. While reserved seats for the Limboo and Tamang communities, now that they are Scheduled Tribes, is a Constitutional requirement, but because the present Assembly strength of 32, does not have enough seats in the open category to set aside as ST seats for the Limboos and Tamangs. This is where the second part of the Resolution, demanding increase in the number of Assembly seats from 32 to 40 comes in and with it comes the demand for the notifying of the remaining section of the Sikkimese society as Scheduled Tribes. This proposal is in line with the CRESP Report prepared by Prof BK Roy Burman on the issue.
The Resolution calls on the Central Govt to grant reservation of seats for the Limboo and Tamang communities in the Legislative Assembly “soon after the publication of 2011 Census of India” and then grant the other two demands as well.
The proposed Assembly strength of 40 maintains the BL seats at 12, SC at 2 and proposes to increase the Sangha representation to 2 [an additional seat for all monks, including Tamang and Gurung monks], 20 seats for the Scheduled Tribes [which are to include all Sikkimese], with 4 seats left “open”.
The CM pointed out today that while the State Government has provided all reservations of the Limboos and Tamangs [by virtue of their being ST now] which were under the State’s jurisdiction, like reservation in jobs and at the panchayat level, the provision for the Legislative Assembly was a Parliamentary subject for the Centre to resolve.
Further in his address today, the Chief Minister, while reminding that 2011 has been declared as the ‘Year of Innovation’, said that the concerned departments should now work at a 62 percent ‘accelerated’ rate in keeping with the hike achieved in the budgetary outlay.
It may also be informed that the CM has given all departments a 100 day period to start utilizing the allocated funds, failing which, the same would be diverted to other, better performing departments.
“This budget is intended at making all works result- oriented and this should be noticeably achieved. This year, we have included the implementation of the FRBM Act to maintain financial discipline and austerity measures. Our aim is to increase the per capita income of the State to Rs. 1 lakh by 2015 which shall be an example for the rest of the nation,” he stressed in the House today.
The Chief Minister, while speaking on the various schemes initiated by the government like the Financial Inclusion Scheme for women and the CATCH initiative, informed that 70 percent of the budget has been earmarked for rural areas and another 20 percent towards ‘quality education’ in Sikkim.
In this regard, he directed that the ‘shortcomings’ noticed at the ICDS centers in the rural areas be mitigated, with all facilities for the children ‘guaranteed’. He further stressed that the CATCH programme be taken up on ‘mission- mode’ and also called for institutionalization of ‘responsible tourism’.
“Our government will also raise substantial revenue through parking fees, increase in excise duty and per-head environmental cess on every tourist visiting the State. We want to stress on quality and maintain our positive image. I urge that the 575-bedded hospital at Sokeythang be completed within 36 months for which we have kept aside a sum of 100 crores in the budget. I also want to stress that the children under the meritorious scholarship scheme be graded on merit and that only the deserving candidates be awarded the facilities,” he exhorted.
Here, he also informed that the Bhaleydhunga Sky Walk project at Mainam has been sanctioned Rs.300 crores through various funding agencies but that the environmental clearance was still awaited. Such ‘hiccups’, he said, hampered the pace of development. He directed that the matter be resolved immediately.
He added that the house/ block and street numbering of all buildings, which was a suggestion brought in by a member yesterday, be taken into immediate consideration and implemented. He also urged all department heads to provide all the MLAs with the detailed list of transfers/ sanctions etc since this was a public document which every MLA had a right to know about.
He also informed that the revenue to acquire a casino license in Sikkim would now be anywhere between Rs. 1 and 5 crores, which he stated, would also increase the state’s internal revenue.
“It is also clear that we have enormous opportunities but it is time for our unemployed youth to grasp it. In various instances I have seen that the private investors are not abiding by the clause of 80 percent employment of locals as stated in the respective MoUs, this is also an area where our government shall focus strictly now”, assured the CM.