For all-round development

Interview with Chief Minister Pawan Chamling.

CHIEF Minister Pawan Chamling, the charismatic poet-politician of Sikkim, assumed office in 1994. Born in 1950 in Yangyang, south Sikkim, Chamling entered politics through the Sikkim Prajatantra Congress in the early 1970s. In 1993, the Sikkim Democratic Front was formed and he was unanimously elected president of the party. He has published numerous books, including collections of poems written by him since 1970. Chamling spoke to Frontline of his vision for Sikkim and the measures taken by his government to attain it.

Recently you went abroad to meet potential investors. What has been the response?

We had a very fruitful and successful tour and responses from potential investors were very positive and encouraging. It was a study tour and we had the opportunity to see, share and learn from the tremendous developments that have taken place in these countries. Besides meeting a number of renowned personalities and leading connoisseurs, we also signed two memorandums of interest with European companies and had fruitful discussions with potential investors, businessmen and development partners who later visited our State to explore investment possibilities.

Please tell us about your government's achievements in the industrial sector? Have you set any specific goals?

Industry is one of our priority sectors. A new Industrial Policy has been extended to Sikkim along with the other northeastern States. The Policy provides for a number of incentives to prospective industrialists willing to set up industry in Sikkim.

Sikkim is laying great stress on the development of eco-friendly industries, particularly agro-processing, handicrafts and handlooms, electronics and processing industries. We have also earmarked large chunks of area along the National Highway and in some districts for developing industrial zones; any investor willing to set up industry in Sikkim will not face the problem of acquiring land provided he fulfills all the necessary formalities, which are not at all cumbersome. I may also add here that Sikkim has the distinct advantages of cheap and friendly labour, flexible labour laws, a pollution-free environment, and, above all, peace and tranquillity, making it an investment-friendly State. We are also devising various strategies to take advantage of the globalisation process.

What is the scope for Information Technology (IT) and IT-enabled Services (ITES) in Sikkim?

The Government of Sikkim has placed IT high on its agenda. Community information centres have been set up in different parts of the State to create awareness about computers. These centres will be equipped with computers and provided direct satellite link. This will enable the rural masses to access various government notifications and send letters listing their grievances to the Chief Minister directly through the Internet. A number of websites on Sikkim have been launched and compulsory computer training courses for government functionaries are being imparted.

Your efforts at drawing the women of Sikkim into the mainstream of socio-political life have been widely appreciated. Please elaborate.

In order to ensure gender equality and empowerment of women and enable them to work closely with their male counterparts, my government has provided various facilities and implemented a number of schemes, including the unique small family scheme, designed to make women self-reliant and independent.

My government has earned the distinction of having appointed the first woman Cabinet Minister in the State, the first woman Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, the first woman Chairperson of the Sikkim Public Service Commission and women in Zilla Adhakshyas and Upadhakshyas, during its 12-year tenure. To enable women to play a greater role in the panchayats as well as in the government, 33 per cent seats have been reserved for them in panchayats and 30 per cent in government jobs. A Women's Council, a Family Court and a Hindu Marriage Court have been established to provide justice to women.

Your government has for quite some time been emphasising the need to promote social justice. How do you plan to go about this?

Social justice for all sections of society receives priority in our development agenda. Scores of schemes for the welfare and development of women and children, the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes/Other Backward Classes, physically challenged people and the aged are being implemented in the State. Lok Adalats and courts have established to deal with human rights issues, social atrocities and consumer grievances.

What are the major health care projects undertaken by your government.

Creating a healthy society is one of our dreams. Although health care in the State is much better now than before, we are sparing no effort to ensure that the service reaches every citizen on a priority basis. Stress is laid on prevention of diseases rather than cure, and also on building the mental health along with physical health so as to improve the quality of life.

You had made a promise earlier that Sikkim will be 100 per cent literate by 2015. Even though the literacy rate is an impressive 69.68 per cent, it is still quite a task. Your comments.

The promise still stands and I am more than confident that we will achieve 100 per cent literacy by 2015. Education is given top priority and 17 per cent of our total annual budget has been kept aside for education. Keeping in view the fact that development of human resource is not possible without education, we are laying great stress on imparting quality education and providing education to all; we want to make our people realise that education is a gift and not burden.

Is Sikkim self-sufficient in the power sector? What is the status of the Teesta hydroelectric power project?

It goes without saying that Sikkim has abundant hydro-electric potential - to the tune of 8,000 MW. This could be exploited to generate electricity and earn revenue. After the completion of the Teesta project's StageV, Sikkim will have surplus power and will be in a position to sell electricity to neighbouring States. With proper planning and implementation of power projects in quick succession and with the help of other agencies, we will be able to generate 5,000 MW of electricity by 2015. The process of developing mega power projects was launched for the sustainable economic development of the State. A number of private developers and public sector undertakings have also shown interest in developing identified projects under private, public or joint sectors. The Hydro Committee headed by the Chief Secretary has recommended some interested parties for developing a few identified hydropower projects.

Please share with us your "vision" for Sikkim.

By 2015, we are determined to make Sikkim a 100 per cent literate and poverty-free state. By 2009, Sikkim will be an organic State and our internal revenue will cross Rs.1,500 crores. Development-oriented and people-centric schemes are being given top priority along with floriculture, horticulture, eco-tourism and hydro-power.

Ample opportunities have been created in as many diverse fields as possible so that the people of Sikkim, especially the younger generation, become less dependent on government jobs and opt for the service sector where the scope is unlimited. Stress is being laid by the present government on making the youth move according to the changing needs of time.

Instead of running after white-collar jobs, the government wants them to go in for self-employment ventures and explore the service sector. With this objective in mind, the State government is giving emphasis on capacity building, management and skill development of youth by providing them with adequate opportunities and schemes backed by financial assistance and proper training.

You have always believed in maintaining high moral standards in politics.

Yes, I try to practise all norms necessary to keep high moral standards in the social, public and political spheres. For instance, people know that I am dead against inducting any members of my family into politics. I have maintained this despite several temptations.

What are your contributions to affirmative action?

I strongly believe in bringing all suppressed and marginalised people into the national mainstream. Our actions in this regard have been very successful. We shall have to consolidate it further by bringing public awareness, institutional changes and social reforms.

Let me cite one example. Among the three indigenous ethnic groups (Bhutias, Lepchas and Nepalese) in Sikkim, the Bhutias and Lepchas are listed as Scheduled Tribes and 13 seats (including the Sangha) are reserved for them in the 32-member State Assembly purely on the basis of their ethnicity. This also means that these two communities get 40 per cent of the seats though their population is only 20 per cent. In the matter of job opportunities and higher education too, the Bhutias and Lepchas are given 23 per cent reservation as against the national norm of 7 per cent. This is a unique and highly commendable arrangement that we have maintained in Sikkim.