State’s 35th Livelihood School opens at Yuksom

‘TOUR GUIDING’ TRAINING AT TREKKING’S GATEWAY TOWN 
GANGTOK, 05 July: The State Institute of Capacity Building (SICB) opened its 35th Livelihood School at Yuksom under Yuksom Tashiding constituency on 04 July for Tour Guiding Skill.  The Minister for Animal Husbandry, Livestock, Fisheries and Veterinary Services was the chief guest on the occasion.  A press release informs that the Livelihood School at Yuksom was opened with the aim to provide nature tour with trekking including waste and camp management skill in the state of Sikkim.
It may be recalled that the Chief Minister had categorically directed that highly skilled tour and trekking guides should be prepared to manage the requirements of tourists in future in a meeting held at SICB on 30 April 2012. Training on this particular skill is another phase of the Livelihood School initiative to fill the skill gaps and achieve the mission and policy announced by the State Government recently to train nearly 17000 youth by 2015, the release mentions.
Towards achieving this goal, SICB has started imparting training in new and employable areas.  Very recently the SICB has started a course on Multimedia and Tally at Karfectar.  Similarly, it plans to train the youth on orange and cardamom rejuvenation as pilot projects very soon, the release informs.
It is further mentioned that SICB has found a partner of international repute with an experience of 22 years in the field of eco-tourism, conservation and managing the carrying capacity of trekking routes. The trainees will be taken for outreach programme in different trekking routes currently in operation in Sikkim.
The trainees will be provided training on operational event management of trekking, food and nutrition, garbage management, bio-diversity conservation, ornithological exposure, identification of flora and fauna in these trekking routes in particular and Sikkim in general.
SICB will support the trainees for obtaining license from the competent authorities and the creation of individual online blogs before completing their training so that they may be able to start their livelihood after the completion of the training, the release adds.  
The inaugural function was attended by Chief Administrator, S.D. Dhakal, Joint Chief Administrator, K.B. Pradhan, Deputy Chief Administrator of SICB, Sunil Kr. Mothay, all office bearers of Kanchendzonga Conservation Committee, Panchayat Members, and senior citizens.