CM takes stock, calls on administration to be more responsive

GANGTOK, 07 May: Chief Minister Pawan Chamling proposed the development of Pakyong as a Satellite Township for which the government has already acquired land to be used for various projects in service and hospitality, IT, sports sectors etc, while speaking at a stock taking meeting with the Heads of Departments at Chintan Bhawan today. The CM urged all the departmental heads to think on these lines and make collective efforts to develop the area with a long-term view.
According to a press communiqué received from IPR Department, addressing the administrators of the state the Chief Minister at the outset urged everyone involved in the administration of the state to be proactive, responsive and accountable towards the service of the people of the state. He also called upon the heads of the departments to carry out the responsibility of implementing the people centric programmes efficiently.
He also took stock of the actions taken with regard to the decisions taken during the last coordination meeting held on 10 May 2011. Also, on the decisions taken during the 42 days village-to-village tour he said “In the due course of our tour we have sanctioned many people centric schemes and the responsibility of implementation lies on the administrators”.
On the Bhaley Dhunga Sky Walk Project the Chief Minister directed the departments to work with broader vision in the interest of the people. The project after its completion will be one of the wonders of the world, he said and added that the Heads of Departments should take a proactive role in getting various clearances for the projects of the state so that the development initiatives of the state are not jeopardised.
The laws and acts are meant for the interest of the people and hence have to be used in the best interests of the people, the Chief Minister said. In this regard he also urged the heads of the departments to take every possible step to expedite the delivery mechanism as some of the administrative processes are slowing down the expected delivery mechanism, he added. In this context he also talked about the Maney Bhanjyang road which he said on completion will be a major tourist destination of the state whereby many locals can benefit.
The CM went on to address the individual departments regarding various programmes, projects and issues. The Chief Minister asked the PHE Department to bring out a permanent solution to the Ratey Chu source of water catering to the water requirement of the entire Gangtok area. In this regard he directed the department to prepare an action plan in consultation with experts.
With regard to the Health department the Chief Minister said that the CATCH programme will now be introduced in schools from this year onwards. Along with this, health awareness and health classes can also be taken by the department at the schools, the Chief Minister said. He also urged the doctors and health workers to inquire into the rise of various diseases like AIDS, Cancer, MDR TB etc which are affecting the Sikkimese people.
The CM directed the Information and Public Relations Department to document, digitalise and archive all the old records, photographs, news, videos etc in a proper manner. Talking about the government’s initiative on e-tendering the Chief Minister said that such efforts will ensure transparency in the administration and do away with the system of middlemen in such contractual work. In this regard he asked the Public Works department to make norms in the interest of the local contractors.
On the Kutcha House Free State, the CM asked the concerned department to work in coordinated manner to complete the construction of 14,000 houses in the state within this year. For this purpose he directed the RMDD and Forest Department to work in coordinated manner. He asked the Forest Department to cooperate in the provision of timber for the construction of houses under this programme.
The government is working towards capacity building of every individual of the state and for this purpose the State Institute of Capacity Building has been established, he said. In this direction he asked the departmental heads to reflect on the skilled man power requirement of the state so that appropriate training can be given to the youth. “We have brought world class infrastructures in the state and now we have to create man power to run and man these infrastructures”, he said. He also informed the gathering of the plan of the State Institute of Capacity Building to train 17,000 unemployed youth during the next two years.
Terming the entire administrative machinery as a “Think Tank” for the state the CM asked the heads of the departments to be personally involved in the monitoring and evaluation of the government projects and encourage team work in the administration. On the encroachment of government property in and outside the state the CM asked the heads of the departments to take appropriate steps to stop such encroachment of government properties and take strict action upon the encroachers.
He also asked the concerned department to ascertain and regularise the ownership of the government property situated in and outside the state so that the department can take up appropriate action to protect and maintain the property. He also directed the HRDD to re-deploy teachers to those areas where there is scarcity of teachers and also to keep track and monitor all the development works among the various universities set up in the state.
He directed the concerned department to monitor the quality of vehicles, hotels and taxis. He also asked the heads of the departments to come up with ways and means to generate more revenue for the state without affecting the people.
Talking on the various infrastructures created all around the state and especially the Char Dhaam and the statue of Guru Padmasambhava in South Sikkim the Chief Minister directed the District Collector, South to bring out a concrete proposal for running the institution in a proper manner. “These projects have been conceived and constructed keeping in mind the long term benefits for the state and it is our duty to see that these institutions are properly maintained for the benefit of the future of the state”, the Chief Minister said.
In his concluding remarks the Chief Minister while talking about various other schemes of the state government said that during this year all the ongoing schemes of the government will be completed and no new schemes will be started except for few very important schemes.
A stock taking of the 19 developmental missions of the government were also taken during the meeting during which the Chief Minister said that the state has seen visible change during these 18 years and with the collective, coordinated and cooperative initiative of everyone, Sikkim can very soon be a world class state.
Earlier, the Chief Secretary, Karma Gyatso during his welcome address appraised the Chief Minister about the initiatives taken by the administration in expediting the delivery mechanism of the state government. He said that it has been made mandatory for the heads of the departments to conduct monthly tours to the districts and hold monthly departmental meetings. He further informed that the head office is getting regular reports from the districts and added that though much needs to be done but assured that the process has begun in the right direction.