Namchi, 4 December (IPR): The Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang attended the State level Panchayat Sammelan at SIRD and PR, today. He was accompanied by Deputy Speaker SLA, Sangay Lepcha, Minister for RDD Sonam Lama, Cabinet Ministers, MLAs, Chairpersons, Advisors, officials and Panchayats at large.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister announced that from the coming years the Panchayat Sammelan will be a three-day affair and will assist the officials to listen to the grievances of the Panchayats and with proper teamwork concrete solutions of the grievances can be sought after. He also said that medical allowances, pension, emergency funds for panchayats will also be looked into. As per the regularization of Panchayat Development Assistant (PDAs) and Panchayat Accountants (PA), the Chief Minister said that eight years norm will also apply to these employees and once they complete eight years the concerned department can draft a proposal to the DoP department and they shall do the needful.
The Chief Minister informed that Panchayats in the state have given independence on how to function at the rural level and uplift the rural population. The panchayats will always be supported and their demands will also be looked after by the State Government. He added that the upcoming panchayat election will be a non-partisan form of election. He further stated that the State has been achieving strides in various spheres in the schemes such as Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), which is being implemented efficiently in the State. He also informed that under Sikkim Garib Awas Yojna, the Rural Development Department is also working assiduously in providing housing to the needy.
Speaking during the occasion, Minister Rural Development Department Sonam Lama said that the panchayats have a great responsibility as they implement many projects and schemes at the grassroots level.
Principal Secretary RDD Shri C. S. Rao gave a brief background about the Panchayati Raj. He spoke about how the Panchayati Raj has been reformed with the changing times. Shri Rao updated that approximately 75% population resides at the rural level and that there are more than a hundred GPUs. Shri Rao listed the various schemes which the concerned department is working on, namely, MGNREGA, Jal Jeewan Mission and many more. He highlighted about the scheme start-up entrepreneurship program which has commenced at Pakyong, Rhenock and Parkha block. He also gave an overview about ‘E Marketing Facility’, which is a platform wherein the self-help groups can sell their products digitally.
At the outset, the Chief Minister inaugurated a Permaculture farm and also planted a sapling of ‘Simarouba Glauca’.
During the course of the program, the Chief Minister also handed over awards to various COVID-19 warriors and the National adaptation fund for climate change (NAFCC) project.
