Governor calls on legislators to approach 12th FYP with commitment to better implementation and improved accountability

BUDGET SESSION BEGINS
ANAND OBEROI
GANGTOK, 25 June: The first day of the 2012 Budget Session of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly began with the address of the Governor, BP Singh, today. Strict security measures were undertaken inside and around the Assembly complex today given the attendance of dissident SDF MLA from Upper Burtuk, PS Tamang, who finally attended the Assembly this time with his supporters packing the visitors’ gallery.
“Let us resolve today to build a better tomorrow and not rest on past laurels as we step into the 12th Five Year Plan, in which the challenge is to ensure better implementation and improved accountability while we judiciously use our resources for the overall development of the State and her people,” urged the Governor in his inaugural address.
He told the House that for the year 2012-13, the National Planning Commission has allocated Rs 1,499.89 crore as the State’s Annual Plan, that this was an increase of 7.14% over the 2011-12 allocation of Rs. 1,400 crore. The allocation includes Special Plan Assistance of Rs.158 crore and Special Central Assistance [united] of Rs. 250 crore.
He also informed that this allocation excluded Special Plan Assistance [PM’s package] of Rs.200 crore which is to be utilized for earthquake reconstruction and rehabilitation work.
“It is a fact that a peaceful law and order environment, political stability and good governance are the principal factors needed to foster development and prosperity. Sikkim is not lagging behind in this context. Economic development has been accepted and recognized as the process of transforming the lives of the people. The character of development, its direction and pace and the way people share the benefits are determined by the manner in which a State manages its investment resources,” stated the Governor.
He mentioned that investing in development had always been the central activity of the State Government, aimed at promoting economic growth and social welfare due to which the State has earned the distinction of being an exemplary state.
Further, while stating that duly respecting the hopes and aspirations of the people, he said that the present government has been sincerely making many socio-political demands in favour of the people of Sikkim. The State Government has been approaching the Central Government for early resolution of some pending demands including Reservation of Assembly seats for Limboo and Tamang communities in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly, Grant of Scheduled Tribe status to the left-out ethnic communities of Sikkim and Income Tax Exemption in respect of the left-out communities including members of the old business communities of Sikkim, said the Governor.
“We hope that these demands placed by the State Government will be addressed by the Central Government soon. This will ensure that the social cohesion and harmony prevailing in Sikkim be further strengthened and consolidated,” he stated.
He shared that the objective of the 11th Plan was faster and inclusive growth and the steps taken in the 11th Plan period have resulted in substantial progress. The 12th Five Year Plan envisages faster, sustainable and more inclusive growth for the period 2012-17. “The progress towards inclusiveness is difficult to assess as inclusiveness is a multi- dimensional concept. Inclusive growth should result in lower incidence of poverty, improvement in health outcomes, universal access for children to school, increased access to higher education and improved standards of education, including skill development. It should also create an environment of better opportunities for wage employment and livelihood. There should be improvement in provision of basic amenities like water, electricity, roads, sanitation and housing. Special attention needs to be provided to the needs of the weaker sections of the society,” he stated.
He further said that his government has drafted long term strategies and programmes for the 12th Five Year Plan period. “The earthquake of 18th Sept 2011 however has been a huge setback to our developmental efforts. It has caused large scale and extensive damage, and shaved off some of the progress made earlier,” he shared.
In this regard he said that a substantial time and valuable resources during the first two years of the 12th Plan will have to be invested in rehabilitation and reconstruction of the damaged infrastructure and implementation of measures for disaster preparedness.
He also pointed out that the State Gross Domestic Product growth at constant prices was 8.95% for the year 2010- 11, which is higher than the all-India growth of 8.6%. The per capita income at current prices of every person in Sikkim is much higher than the national average he mentioned further adding that, “The State Economy has been showing a steady growth and is expected to keep up with this trend in the 12th Plan period as well”.
Further, the Governor stated that in spite of being a landlocked and sensitive border state with poor connectivity, hilly and inhospitable terrain and inadequate infrastructure, Sikkim has been maintaining peace and tranquility. Stating that the socio-economic indicators over the decades have improved enormously, which is being reflected in the improved living conditions of the people he mentioned that the poverty level in the state which in the year 1994-95 was 41% has come down to 13.01% in 2009-10.
“My Government’s priority would be to further consolidate the growth and develop our human capital. While we will build infrastructure and take development to the next higher level, we will also consciously preserve and protect the ecology and environment. It is also our aim to rejuvenate the waste lands, conserve water resources and our forests while taking advantage of the natural resources. We have chosen a strategy for development, protection of environment and ecology and development of infrastructure and resources to contribute to the welfare of the State,” he stated.
In the rural housing sector schemes such as the Rural Housing scheme, model house, Indira Awaas Yojana, Mukhya Mantri Awaas Yojana have been in operation and considerable success has been achieved with only 6% of the total rural houses remaining kutcha, the Governor mentioned. “My Government has recently launched the Chief Minister’s Rural Housing Mission with the aim to convert the existing 6000 kutcha houses to pucca houses. We aspire to achieve “kutcha house free” status by 2013,” he said.
Here, he added that he hoped to achieve the Bharat Nirman target of providing road connectivity to all the 154 habitations with population of more than 500. Similarly, in the area of rural water supply, all habitations are targeted to be fully covered during 2012-13.
In the area of education, he stated that his government wanted to eradicate illiteracy.
He added that the Chief Minister’s Merit Scholarship Scheme has been introduced since 2010 and that the government has invested around Rs.10 crore so far in providing education to 350 meritorious students, in the best schools across the country and within the State. “This unique scheme is free of any reservation. This programme is aimed as a long term investment in human resource development so that the children are well- prepared to take up jobs within and outside the State and are ready to meet the challenges of the 21st century,” he concluded.
The motion of thanks on the Governor’s address was moved by the Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling which was seconded by MLA, Khamdong, Am Prasad Sharma. Discussions and voting on the motion of thanks will be taken-up by the house tomorrow.