Sikkim set to sparkle at IBN7’s Diamond State Awards today

GANGTOK, 21 Dec: Chief Minister Pawan Chamling who has been camping in New Delhi for the past several weeks is expected to attend the Diamond State Awards ceremony of news channel IBN7 in New Delhi on Saturday. Sikkim, sources inform, is slated to do well at this ranking of the states undertaken jointly by IBN7 and news weekly, Outlook. The State could be up for as many as four awards in various categories and is in strong contention for the best performing small state in the country which is an award under the special category.
The awards have not been announced yet and will be declared at the Grand Finale of the award ceremony to be held in New Delhi on 22 Dec at The Taj Palace Hotel.
The various categories in which big and small states will be awarded include Education, Healthcare, Employment, Environment, Womens’ Empowerment, Core Infrastructure, Water & Sanitation, Poverty Reduction and Citizen Security.
The Diamond State Awards runs with the tagline, “Honoring the exemplary contribution of the Indian States towards building a better nation”, and the organizers introduce the fourth edition of awards thus: “India remains a work in progress. But if the 21st century India has managed to grow in stature in the eyes of the world, it’s on the back of the human and social development efforts by its various states. To recognize India’s best states and acknowledge their contribution, IBN7, in partnership with Outlook, is back with the fourth edition of the Diamond States Awards. These awards judge the states on parameters beyond economic growth.”
The selection process, the organizers assure, “is a credible, multi-pronged approach involving secondary data from authentic sources and primary data from a nationwide research exercise conducted by IPSOS, the Research Partner for the awards. KPMG, the independent Knowledge Partner, manages the process, methodology and the data for arriving at the best states across various categories of the awards.” The winner states are finalised based on the parameters set by the IBN Editorial Board, Outlook Editorial Board and the jury consisting of eminent citizens from various walks of life. This year, the Jury is chaired by former RBI Governor Dr. Bimal Jalan, it is informed.
Speaking about the initiative, Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor-in-Chief, CNN-IBN, IBN7 & IBN-Lokmat, said, “The award is a progressive indicator to recognize and acknowledge the efforts made by the different states to achieve a common goal, to see India shine and to inspire other states to join and help in the rise and development of our country.”
Meanwhile, there are other programmes too scheduled for the Chief Minister.
On 27 December, the CM will be inaugurating the curtain raiser for the International Flower Festival to be held next year in Sikkim. This curtain raiser will be held at the Old Sikkim House, New Delhi.
Then, on 28 December, he is scheduled to attend the National Development Council meeting in New Delhi. The meeting, which is normally held once a year is held under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister. The Council is composed of the Prime Minister of India, the Chief Minister of States and Members of the Planning Commission. Secretary of the Planning Commission is Secretary of the Council as well. The NDC meets to discuss and decide upon important questions of social and economic policy affecting national development,
The Chief Minister is expected to return to Sikkim on 29 December.