The Centre’s inability to provide air and road connectivity to Sikkim has deprived the State from becoming ‘Switzerland of India’, Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling said on Friday.
Maintaining that a change of regime at the Centre has not helped expedite pending projects related to airport and rail networks, he said sarcastically, ''It is business as usual as far as the response to the demands of North-eastern States is concerned.”
The Chief Minister minced no words as he rued that the construction of an airport in Sikkim has been going on for years while no progress has been made in implementing the plans for connecting the Himalayan State with trains. The rail project, foundation of which was laid by former Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, is yet to see the light of the day, he pointed out.
"Our only lifeline is road. But the condition of roads is very pathetic. We urge the Central Government to take more development initiatives in Sikkim as well as other Northeastern States," said Chamling here, a day after receiving the 'Sustainable Development leadership Award, 2016' by President Pranab Mukherjee .
"The State has tremendous potential to be the 'Switzerland of India' and a 'Ram Rajya' as it is blessed with tremendous beauty and natural resources but it needs help from the Central Government," he said.
Chamling also sought the peace bonus for the State as was given to Mizoram in 2000, asserting that there is no insurgency, no militancy, and no violence in Sikkim.
He also informed that Chief Ministers of north-eastern States are in touch with each other to formulate their collective response to the scrapping of special package for their region and would soon approach the Centre on the matter.
Stating that tourists' footfall has been on the rise in Sikkim, blessed with varied flora and fauna besides picturesque snow clad mountains, he said that plans are afoot to showcase the iconic Mount Kanchendzonga and the Kanchendzonga National Park (KNP), which has recently been declared as a World Heritage Site, to promote eco-tourism in the Himalayan State.
Sikkim has many firsts to its credit. From being the first organic and cleanest state in the country to prohibition on carrying plastic bags by tourists to ban on collection of medicinal plants and non-timber forest produce for commercial purposes to mandatory planting of ten saplings in lieu of one tree felled and free education till college level.