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Sarikah Atreya

Gangtok, Nov. 10 The Chief Minister of Sikkim, Mr Pawan Chamling, has told the Union Cabinet secretary, Mr K.M. Chandrasekhar, who was on an official visit to the State, that widening and upgradation of 31A National Highway from Bagdogra to Gangtok and further up to the Nathula border was essential for the development of the region.

He also conveyed to the Centre that the only exit point for Sikkim, surrounded by three international borders, was through Rangpo, the highway concerned passing through the troubled Darjeeling district of West Bengal.

Mr Chamling impressed on Mr Chandrasekhar the need for early approval of the construction of an alternative highway from Siliguri to Gangtok up to the Nathula border along the opposite side of the Teesta River.

The Chief Minister said that since Gangtok was the hub of the State’s administrative centre, funds should be provided by the Centre under JNURM or as special grants for construction of a bus and taxi stand in a suitable location in and around the State capital.

He said the State Government has been laying special emphasis on the skill development of the Sikkimese people for which it has a Directorate of Capacity Building.

This Directorate should be upgraded into a full-fledged institute for which the support of the Centre was needed.

Sikkim was blessed by nature’s bounty and the State Government’s mission was to make Sikkim a “floriculture State”, Mr Chamling said.

The Union Cabinet Secretary was asked to impress on the Centre to provide more support for the marketing of floriculture products and also technical and financial support.

More Stories on : Roadways | Other States

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