Speaker welcomes Budget 2011-12 as “positive and visionary”

GANGTOK: Speaker, Sikkim Legislative Assembly, KT Gyaltsen, in his vote of thanks address at the conclusion of the Budget Session on Tuesday, said that the Budget 2011-12 was “historic, comprehensive, farsighted and democratic in its true spirit”.
“I take the privilege and honour to extend my sincere congratulations to the Leader of the House for the positive and visionary document, the Budget 2011-2012,” he put on record.

He explained that the budget has become one of the “primary tools of financial administration” and was the financial master plan of the government and the very core of a democratic government.
Quoting Harold Smith, he said, “The objectives of the budget should be to implement democracy and provide a tool which will be helpful in the efficient execution of the functions and services of the government. The budget is a device for consolidating the various interests, objectives, desires and needs of our citizens into a programme whereby they may jointly provide for their safety, convenience and comfort. It is the most important single current document relating to the social and economic affairs of the people.”
“The policies and the programmes of the government are crystal clear which is based on the basic principle of democracy which is justice in every aspect, social, political and economic. The budget speech delivered by the Chief Minister clearly impresses upon the various policies and programmes of the government. It touches up on various sectors ranging from growing economy, hydro power generation, organic farming, education, agriculture, healthy Sikkim to eco-tourism, social justice, etc. Further, sufficient thrust has been provided for human resource development, especially the youth which is the ultimate resources of this great nation,” he further added.
The new schemes and projects to be taken up in the year 2011-12, as reflected in the budget speech, with specific allocation of funds were “truly pro-poor and people centric and can be upheld as a model programme”, he endorsed.
The Speaker also stated that the Resolutions adopted by the Legislative Assembly during the Budget Session would definitely be fulfilled “under the dynamic leadership of the Chief Minister”.