Sikkim Companies Act has not been repealed: PD Rai

GANGTOK, 20 Oct:  Lok Sabha MP from Sikkim, PD Rai, in a press statement issued late this evening, explained that the unlike being claimed and speculated, the Registration of Companies [Sikkim] Act, 1961 has not been repealed. The MP has presented a detailed explanation on the situation, fleshing out the technicalities involved in passage of Acts and role of gazette notifications.
“Contrary to media reports, the status quo on the Companies Bill, 2013, remains as far as Sikkim and its interests are concerned,” Mr. Rai insists. The Companies Act 2013 received Presidential assent on 29 August and to this end, Section 1(3) of the Companies Act, 2013 states, “the remaining provisions of this Act shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the official gazette, appoint and different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Act.”
“Publishing of the act in the Official Gazette does not imply its immediate implementation. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs notified several sections of the Companies Act, 2013, on 12th September. However, section 465, which repeals the Registration of Companies (Sikkim) Act, 1961, was not notified,” Mr. Rai explains.
This, he points out, is in accordance with the assurances given by the Minister of Corporate Affairs Sachin Pilot to the Members of Parliament from Sikkim. Mr. Pilot had said on the floor of the House, “I want to assure the Hon’ble Member from Sikkim that before the ‘notification’ is issued, we will have consultations with the State government, for that matter we will speak to the Chief Minister of Sikkim and the Hon’ble MPs on all issues related to Sikkim in the bill and will take into consideration all issues and address them.”
“To this end, the process of consultation and dialogue between the Sikkim Democratic Front and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs continues with the best interests of Sikkim in mind,” Mr. Rai informs.
The Party would like to add for the record that since the Sikkim Companies Act has not been repealed, and continues to be in effect, it finds the present media reports highly speculative and politically motivated, he reiterates.

Sikkim BJP thanks Balkrishna for raising Gangtok DD Kendra issue in Parliament

GANGTOK, 17 May: Bharatiya Janta Party Sikkim unit president, Padam Chettri has expressed gratitude towards the BJP MP, Balkrishna Shukla, on behalf of the people of Sikkim for raising the issue of making the Doordarshan Kendra here at Gangtok functional in the Lok Sabha session of 16 May. He further thanked the MP for drawing the attention of the Central Government to the issue.
Addressing a press conference today, the Sikkim BJP president informed that the Minister of State of Information and Broadcasting, Dr S Jagatrakshan had stated in the Lok Sabha on 15 May that “Doordarshan Kendra in Gangtok is functioning.” On the same, he countered that the Kendra is not functioning at all and it was a sad commentary on the functioning of parliamentary democracy in the country that a Minister “stoops so low” as to mislead “the holy temple of democracy”. He further added that it was a contempt of the Parliament where every minute supposedly costs Rs. One crore when a Minister “unabashedly tells a lie”.
“The fact that the Minister told the Lok Sabha that the Kendra is functioning, presupposes that all the expenditures in connection with its running, such as salary, programmes, news broadcasts etc are being incurred without any work being done,” he alleged. On the same, he demanded an immediate CBI enquiry into the matter to find out the facts.
“The people of Sikkim hope that Shuklaji will continue to take further actions on account of the Kendra till it is made functional, since our SDF representatives in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have maintained complete silence unmindful of their responsibility towards the people of Sikkim,” he stressed.
Mr Chettri alleged that the people of Sikkim do not feel that they are a part of India as the Centre “consistently and deliberately has not made any effort to bring them into the national mainstream”. He added that despite several past requests in writing and approaches to the highest constitutional authorities in the country including the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister and Cabinet Minister-in-Charge, they have doggedly refused to inaugurate the DD Kendra in Gangtok.
He further alleged that the Central Government squandered an amount of more than Rs 14 crore in 2003 for the Kendra. Mr Chettri informed that as per information received on 03 June 2008 from Assistant Director of Programme, Ashok Bhan, in reply to a query under the RTI Act, “Tentatively, inaugural ceremonies of studio at Gangtok had been planned in May 2002 and October 2002.”

Govt wants Prof Lama replaced with an institution builder

LOK SABHA MP WRITES TO UNION HRD MINISTER AND SONIA GANDHI SEEKING REPLACEMENT OF SIKKIM UNIVERSITY VC
GANGTOK, 10 May: It was no secret that there was no love lost between the State Government and the Sikkim University Vice Chancellor, and now the gloves have truly come off. While a section of faculty, students and representative groups of unemployed youth and affected people of Yangang have been openly protesting against the VC, Prof. Mahendra P Lama, on the streets and in the courts, the government had, till recently, maintained a studied silence. Yesterday, the Chief Minister broke this silence and accepted in a meeting with protesting college students that the VC has not been fair to Sikkim either in the bouquet of courses designed for the university nor in prioritising local employment [among a host of other criticisms of the VC’s style of administration]. Today came news of an official demand placed with the Union Minister of HRD, Kapil Sibal, by Sikkim’s Lok Sabha MP, PD Rai, seeking that Prof Lama be placed.
The MP, in a letter dated 08 May 2012 to the Union HRD Minister, a copy of which has been marked to the United Progressive Alliance Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, begins his letter by underlining that in light of the “untenable situation that has been obtained in the State between the State Government and the Vice Chancellor of the Sikkim University, it would lead to a very bad situation if the Vice Chancellor of the Sikkim University continues in his post.”
“In fact we would like the Ministry to remove him forthwith,” the letter stresses.
The MP has appealed to the Union Minister to “take immediate steps to replace the incumbent with an institution builder... Someone who will not put himself in front but will put the institution in front and give it the priority that it deserves should be appointed”.
Stating that a “long list of issues that have arisen from poor handling of the administration in the process of building of the University” can be furnished if the Minister so desires, the letter contends that “neither are the teachers and faculty happy barring a few, nor are the students”.
The letter details that the “war of words” that has come out in the open is “not doing the institution any good” and accuses the VC of having created obvious bad blood. “Public washing of linen is not expected of him. He has to respect the will of the people and no one is above that,” the letter puts on record.
The letter further points out that the environment provided in Sikkim was “one of the best to nurture a good University”, the MP points out how private universities like Manipal are indeed doing well in Sikkim. “Sikkim is peaceful and hence thus far there have been no untoward incidents. Our Government is committed towards this end but this must not be viewed as a weakness,” the MP stresses.

MP interacts with youth at NYK convention

NAMCHI, 21 Feb [IPR]: “Choices made by us today will determine our future therefore it’s very important for us to make correct choices in our lives”  stated MP Lok Sabha, PD Rai during the District Youth Convention 2011-12 organized by Nehru Yuva Kendra, Namchi Chapter at community hall here in the district headquarters of South District.
During this convention an interaction session was also held where the participants put forward their queries as well as grievances, for which chief guest for the occasion Mr Rai tried to answer and remove the doubts that were there in the participants mind.
Mr. Rai also informed that during the month of May this year a high level and very important  5-day workshop will be held for youth in the state , therefore he urged the youth to come forward and participate in it.
Further he added that it is very important for the youth and younger generation to tap the opportunities that are available for them and make full use of it. Mr. Rai also appealed to the participants who were present in numbers to take back home something constructive and creative from this convention and work towards it.
D.C South Mr. A.K Singh who was also present on the occasion as guest of honour addressed the gathering and expressed his satisfaction with the work of NYK and assured full cooperation from his side to them.

MP Urges the Pharma Companies and Power Developers to appoint the trained manpower from the State

GANGTOK, 03 Feb: The State Institute of Capacity Building Karfectar was visited by the Lok Sabha MP, PD Rai on 2 February during which he interacted with staff, officials, trainees and also inspected the damages caused by the earthquake of 18 September. S.D.Dhakal, Chief Administrator welcomed the M.P. A brief meeting was also held in the Mini Conference Hall of SICB.
The M.P in his address highlighted the policy of the State Government and need of skill development for self employment.  He stressed the need to develop the entrepreneurship amongst the trainees so that they can be self employed to mitigate the livelihood options for them.  He suggested the Chief Administrator for initiating actions proactively for the placement of trained Security Personnel including the other trained personal passing out from Livelihood School in Pharma Companies, Power Developers, Universities and other Private Educational Institutions running within the State.
During the course of the meeting, the Chief Administrator, appraised the house about the establishment of the Livelihood Schools of different trades in all territorial constituencies of the State, the challenges being faced, the various activities executed by the Institute as partnership with Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise, Government of India, Lalmati, Guwahati, Assam and the financial status and needs of the Institute.  Similarly, Mr. Ranjan Rai, Deputy Director (Counseling Placement and Examination Cell) presented the placements made so far in various Companies and Institutions within and outside the State.  He informed that nearly 793 of the passed out trainees had found placements.
The MP further suggested for incorporating the integrated Environmental, Moral and Value Aided Components and the Soft Skills in the curriculum of the Livelihood School.  The Chief Administrator, S.D. Dhakal submitted that, these components would be included as soon as possible.  Shri Dhakal also informed that the first phase of data input are in process for Management Information System for ,attendance of Trainees, Trainers, Courses running ,Financial Status ,Stipend payment, Placement and Post Placement records but due to erratic connectivity of telephone lines of BSNL ,the same has been delayed but  it will be made operational by 28th February, 2012. The Hon’ble M.P. advised to consult the Service partners for the better placement and coordination for the benefit of the Sikkimese youth.

State Govt supports UPA’s stand on Lokpal issue

GANGTOK, 16 Dec: Lok Sabha MP, PD Rai, attended the UPA meeting and the all-party meeting, held on consecutive days the day before and yesterday, called by UPA Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, at the Prime Minister's residence at 7 Racecourse road, informs a press release.

PD Rai sees Angmo’s comments as ‘extreme provocation’, will register ‘strong protest’

GANGTOK, 20 Nov: Lok Sabha MP from Sikkim, PD Rai, through a press release, has expressed reservations over the views of member of Minorities Commission, Spalzes Angmo, who was recently on a visit to the State to assess the damages and relief measures being carried out in the wake of the 18 Sept earthquake.