GANGTOK, : Chief Minister P.S. Golaymet the vice chairperson of NITI Aayog, Suman K. Berry, at Mintokgang today to review the State’s developmental progress, key achievements and future priorities.
At the outset, the NITI Aayog vice chairperson lauded Sikkim’s progress, particularly its rise from 4th to 1st position in per capita income at the national level, informs a CMO release. “He expressed keen interest in understanding the inspiration and policy framework behind this achievement. In response, the Chief Minister attributed the success to the State government’s unwavering commitment to people-centric governance, with a sustained focus on health, education, and environmental sustainability through initiatives such as Mero Rukh Mero Santati, supplemented by the SishuSamriddhi Yojana. He noted that these programmes have played a significant role in achieving a notable 2.9 per cent increase in forest cover, reinforcing Sikkim’s standing as a progressive state while maintaining its core strength as an environmentally responsible one.”
While discussing challenges, the Chief Minister pointed out that tourism, being the backbone of Sikkim’s economy, is significantly affected by inadequate and vulnerable connectivity with the rest of the country, particularly in terms of road infrastructure. He also mentioned that this issue was recently raised in a meeting with the managing director of NHIDCL, where the need to expedite an alternative highway with a new alignment opposite the existing NH-10 was strongly emphasised to support long-term development, the release states.
Another major challenge highlighted was Sikkim’s continued commitment to remaining a 100 per cent organic State. “The Chief Minister explained that organic farming is a low-volume, high-priced production model, making it essential for farmers to receive premium prices for their produce. To sustain organic agriculture, he stressed on the need for substantial investment in branding, marketing, and cold-chain infrastructure, enabling Sikkim’s organic products to reach major metropolitan markets.
