Sikkim Commission for Backward Classes convenes interactive meet

GANGTOK, 18 Sept [IPR]: An interactive meeting of Sikkim Commission for Backward Classes (SCBC) with executive members of different associations of MBC and OBC communities of the State and officers of the Welfare Division of Social Justice Empowerment & Welfare Department dealing with MBC & OBC matters was held at a local hotel here in the capital on Tuesday. The SCBC chairperson, TN Sharma was present as chief guest.
Invitees and the members and representatives of the various backward classes and communities of Sikkim placed their ideas, suggestions and grievances to the panel.
Mr. Sharma welcomed the ideas and suggestions and assured to look into the grievances positively while trying to find solutions of various problems that these communities are facing.
In his short address, the SCBC Chairman highlighted that Sikkim was a multiethnic, multicultural, multilingual and multi-religious composite society living in peaceful coexistence with mutual respect. “All of us have come to this juncture of having experienced similar kinds of vicissitudes of our past and therefore derive a common historical legacy,” he said.
The Chamling Government has given equal protection to all the ethnic groups, castes and communities of Sikkim, without any discrimination and kept all under one umbrella making the state of Sikkim very tranquil and exemplary in the nation, he added.
He also expressed his happiness over having participated in the interactive session and hoped that in future too more programmes will be held where representatives and members of various communities will participate in bigger numbers and try and find solutions for their grievances.
Earlier Principal Secretary SJEWD, GP Upadhyaya presented the welcome note.

CM announces Rs.1 lakh cash award for Class 12 & Class 10 toppers

Quality education not to be compromised: Chamling
Ameet Oberoi
GANGTOK, 27 July: The State Government will be rewarding the top students of Class 12 and Class 10 with cash prizes amounting to Rs. 1 lakh, said the Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling while addressing the congregation of students and school teachers gathered at Tenzing Namgyal Memorial Ground [Guards Ground, Tathangchen], here today. The Chief Minister said that the toppers of Class 12 and Class 10 students will be given Rs.1 lakh, followed by a reward of Rs. 75000 and Rs.50,000 to the second and third state toppers, respectively.
He was speaking during the Orientation Programme on Quality Education and Development organized by the Human Resource Development Department [HRDD], which was witnessed by 12,269 students from Class eight to twelve and 2,312 teachers from six constituencies from in and around Gangtok. It may be mentioned here that the Chief Minister has been touring the state to meet and interact and exchange his ideas with the students on quality education.
The CM stated that in the past 18 years the state government had made education up to college level free which is found in no other state or country. Citing few examples of the first world countries where the education and health sectors are more expensive, the Chief Minister informed the gathering that education is the basic component of human development which is free of cost in the state.
Continuing with the facilities developed and provided for the student community in the state the CM said that his government had completed all necessary infrastructure needed and was providing all the needed facilities for education to children. This, he said, was being done because he cannot compromise with the future of children of the State. College education in Sikkim is just 25 years old, while University education is only 05 years old, he informed.
While speaking on quality education, he stated that quality education has been the major concern of the government and consistent efforts have also been laid on quality at all levels. The government is spending 20% of the state budget towards education sector and has a target of making Sikkim the second 100% literate state in the country after Kerala by 2015, he added.  He also asked the teachers to impart value based education to the students so that they are prepared for the future besides being successful and a good human being.
In this regard, the Chief Minister highlighted about the various schemes and programmes like the Chief Ministers Meritorious Schemes, opening of Livelihood Schools in the nook and corner of the State, Comprehensive Education loan scheme and many more initiated by the State Government in the education sector.
Talking about the further plans of the government towards the enhancement of capacity of the students the Chief Minister informed about the government’s plan to provide coaching for national competitive examinations, including UPSC, engineering and in various other disciplines. In this way we will be preparing a well equipped human resource that can face the future challenges, he added. The Chief Minister also announced that pre-primary classes will also be started in the schools from next academic session for the students.
The Minister for HRDD, NK Pradhan while addressing the gathering of teachers and students talked about the concept of education which has been given utmost importance by the state government for the holistic development of the human resource of the state. But to be disciplined is most necessary for students, he added.
Present for the programme were Cabinet Ministers, MLAs, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Advisors, Chairpersons, Chairman, Member of Parliament [Rajya Sabha], Chief Secretary, Secretaries, Mayor, Deputy Mayor, DGP, SP [East], DC [East], Zilla Adyaksha, officials of HRDD and a host of other dignitaries.

Modernizing Sikkim Police will make state crime-free, says CM

GANGTOK, 10 May [IPR]: An interactive session between Police officials and Chief Minister Pawan Chamling was held at Chintan Bhawan today. The session began with the welcome address presented by DGP Jasbir Singh who also presented a brief report on the activities of the Police Department.
At the outset, the Chief Minister emphasised on the importance of good policing and added that the ultimate aim of the Police is to provide security to the people. Better police can create a better state, said the Chief Minister and added that they have enormous responsibilities and duties towards the people for prompt and speedy services.
However, he also asked them to upgrade and enhance skills and capacities as he said that yester year’s knowledge and capacities would not fulfil today’s demands. Therefore, capable and skilled Police forces have to be created in the collective interest, which is also the need of today’s world, he added.  Stressing on systematic improvement, the Chief Minister said that modernization of Sikkim Police is necessary for making Sikkim a crime free state.
Elaborating further on the responsibilities of the Police personnel, the Chief Minister stated that Police are the law enforcement agency and they should discharge their duty as per the prevalent laws without any vested interest. At the same time he also congratulated the police force for their good image which has been maintained through out the country.
With regard to recruitment of Home Guards the Chief Minister directed the department officials to upgrade the educational qualification required for the recruitment of Home Guards to Class X pass. Strict and proper interview should be conducted during the recruitment process, he added.
He also assured to look into the demands and grievances put forward by the officials. He also gave positive assurances to the repair of all Thanas of the State and asked the officials to maintain cleanliness and to be well equipped with everything required for good policing. Like wise, the Chief Minister also deliberated on the required additional manpower at various places, strengthening and giving more impetus to the Sikkim Anti Drug Act (SADA) through legislation.
The Chief Minister also assured to give emphasis to the establishment of Sikkim Fire Training Institute, parade ground, creation of joint Task Force in coordination with various committees to look into traffic congestion in Gangtok, up-gradation of skills of Sikkim Police to combat cyber crime, up-gradation of communication and wireless equipment and also the forensic laboratories, libraries in districts as well as in Thanas.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister stressed on the security of the state for peace and tranquillity and asked the police force to ensure that the miscreants do not take advantage of the peaceful atmosphere of the State. The Chief Minister also expressed hoped that the interactive meeting with the police force will boost their endeavour towards the peace and security of the state and the police force will work with renewed vigour and commitment.

SU organises interactive session on Sino-Indian economic dialogue

ANUSHA GURUNG
GANGTOK, 27 Feb: An interactive session amongst the media fraternity, academics and former bureaucrats on “The Sino-Indian economic dialogue: From bilateral trade to strategic partnership” was organised by Sikkim University at the Press Club today.
Fellow, Research Institute Centre for AIR Power and Former Additional Secretary, GOI, Jaidev Ranadey, Deptt.of East Asian Studies, Delhi University, Madhu Bhalla and Director, Institute of Peace & Conflict Studies, Dr.Subhachandra were among those who after attending a two-day national seminar on the Sino-Indian theme wanted to learn about the views of the media here.
Journalists and editors of local papers highlighted on Sino-Indo trade through the Nathula border. The need for updating the list of items for import and export, improving the infrastructure especially roads leading to Nathula were some of the points discussed during the interaction.
The resource persons spoke on illegal basket supplies from China which is why Chinese products are openly available in the market.
Faculty members and students of Sikkim University’s Mass Communication Dept also attended the programme and discussed the benefits of border trade for the people of Sikkim and the problems that need to be addressed.

Interactive session on ‘Everyday Religion’ at Rachna Books today

GANGTOK, 11 Jan: Rachna Books is organizing a Word of Mouth event, ‘Everyday Religion: Turning Religion On Its Head’, an interactive session with Mark Larrimore,
Director of the Religious Studies Program at Eugene Lang College, The New School for Liberal Arts in New York, USA, on 12 Jan from 5 30 PM to 7 PM.
Mr Larrimore will be talking about the new movements in the study of religion and how it is changing our understanding of the history and nature of religion in human life. Challenging received views which support religious elites and hierarchies, a focus on everyday religious choices of ordinary people has the potential to revolutionize the way we see religion.
Mark Larrimore works at the intersection of the theory of religion, comparative ethics, and intellectual and cultural history. Editor of ‘The Problem of Evil: A Reader’ (Blackwell, 2001) and ‘The German Invention of Race’ (SUNY 2006), with Sara Eigen, he has published essays on Augustine, Immanuel Kant, G. W. Leibniz, Henrik Steffens, Watsuji Tetsuro, Max Weber and Christian Wolff.
His most recent essay examines the difficulty of theorizing religious happiness. His current research projects concern the problem of good, interpretations of the Book of Job, and the future of religion. He is here in Sikkim on an invitation by Sikkim University.
There is no entry fee for the event organized by the “Friends@Rachna” at the new Rachna Books which has recently opened to public on the first floor of the earlier location.