CM dedicates Rs. 5,277 crore budget to the State’s youth

GANGTOK, 26 June: Chief Minister Pawan Chamling tabled his 13th consecutive budget in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly today, proposed at Rs. 5,277.10 crore comprising of Rs. 2540.23 crore under the Plan and of Rs. 2,736.87 crore under Non Plan accounts for the fiscal year 2012-13. 
The plan includes allocations under the dispensation of North Eastern Council, Non-Lapsable Pool of Central Resources and centrally sponsored schemes while the Non-Plan includes recoveries which are adjustable as reduction in expenditure.
The Chief Minister in his budget proposed that revenue receipt of Rs. 9,098.03 crore which comprises of tax receipts of Rs. 353.35 crore, non-tax revenue projected at Rs 1025.50 crore, Rs 79.69 crore from North Eastern Council dispensation, Rs 206.57 crore from Non lapsable pool of central resources, Rs 321.71 crore from centrally sponsored schemes and Rs. 2806.11 crore under grants-in-aid from central government.
He also proposed for disbursement of Rs. 9098.06 crore which includes annual plan of Rs. 1877 crore, non plan of Rs.2601.12 crore, centrally sponsored schemes of Rs. 321.71, schemes under NEC Rs. 79.67 crore, schemes under non-lapsable pool of central resources of Rs. 206.57 crore and spill over provision year Rs. 24.39 crore and public accounts Rs. 3987.60 crore which is contains deficit of Rs. 3 lakh.
Chief Minister who is also In-charge of Finance, Revenue and Expenditure department dedicated the budget 2012-13 to the youth and said, “…this year’s budget is dedicated towards encouraging our youth to become more enterprising and competitive to participate in the growth stories”.
The CM has proposed the construction of a new college in Sikkim and allocated Rs. 150 lakh for this purpose along with the proposal of construction of a Vidyarthi Bhawan [students constitute 18 percent of Sikkim’s population] in order to facilitate larger interaction and complimentary programmes among the students. He also announced the provision of two additional buses to Tadong, Rhenock and Namchi colleges to solve the transportation problem.
“As a priority sector, we have put the best effort to promote education with the highest annual allocation of over 20% in Sikkim,” he announced in his budget address today.
To promote religious tourism in Sikkim, the CM proposed to construct Santa Kabir Bhawan in Lingmoo, South Sikkim, Ramayana Basti in Barang, Lower Tumin, Vrindavan with Gaushalla in Dentam, Tantra-Mantra-Jantra centre, statue of the last Lepcha King Puna Mun Solong at Passingdong, statue of Sleeping Buddha in North Sikkim and a Prayer Tower.
Pointing out that Sikkim had crossed many development benchmarks in the past 18 years, the CM stressed that the State Government was “equally anxious to ensure that economic indicators as reflected in per capita income and GDP growth bring about positive impact on the living condition of our people”.
Contending that “there are certain elements” in Sikkim moving with the “sole purpose to oppose for the sake of opposing”, the CM stressed that the time was instead “to examine our financial position and our fiscal health and chart out collective mission to make ourselves stronger economically”.
The development model worked out by the State Government, he said, was based on an assessment of what Sikkim’s development strengths could be, potential revenue generating avenues and avenues to engage all of Sikkim’s educated youth in gainful employment. Towards this end, the government has identified hydel generation and tourism, he said.
He informed the House that if Sikkim was to shut down all the hydel projects being developed, the State stares at an internal revenue shortfall of Rs. 1,137.53 crore in the 12th Five Year Plan alone. The State could not afford this, he said.
About the tourism targets, he said that the projection to host 50 lakh tourists per annum by 2020 will require Sikkim to have an additional 3,500 hotels and 1,000 homestays; a required investment of Rs. 250 crore per annum. Even by conservative estimates, this would mean 1.35 lakh direct employments apart from the indirect benefits.
If the flagship programmes of hydel, tourim and organic farming were properly harnessed and successfully completed, the cumulative resource generation “based on quick estimate” would be an impressive Rs. 2,064.871 crore during the 12th FYP, he said.
Highlighting that the development model being pursued by the SDF Government has been recognized and feted at the national and international levels, the CM added that those opposing these programmes were “doing a great disservice to the people of Sikkim”.
“As a very innovative Government, we are looking 20 years down line and moulding our own socioeconomic programmes to address future needs and requirements,” he said.
The discussion and voting on the budget proposed by the Chief Minister is scheduled for Wednesday.
Mr Chamling also offered his heartfelt condolences to the victims and bereaved families of the recent Rolep flashflood and last year’s 18 September earthquake.