Friday, May 16, 2025 10:45 [IST]
Last Update: Thursday, May 15, 2025 17:40 [IST]
I joined Sikkim in the third week of August 1986 after two years of comprehensive and eventful training. I began my innings as D.D.O., North District, and retired as the Chief Secretary of the State on 30th September 2019.
May 16 is a very special day for the people of this State. Every year, at the State, District, Sub-Divisional, and Block headquarters, we commemorate this day — when, in 1975, Sikkim joined the mainstream of the nation.
What our small, beautiful, and dynamic State was, and what it has become, is for everyone to see, feel, experience, and introspect.
Many individuals from the State, with the active and forthright support of the Union of India, have contributed to the ever-present smile on the faces of our people. We have maintained the highest levels of peace and amity, remarkable communal harmony, commendable cleanliness, conservation of our rich biodiversity, and excellent performance in sports and culture — all contributing to Sikkim's emergence as an ultimate eco-tourism destination.
Such achievements are rare and found only in a few pockets of the country. Let’s vouch for this.
Friends, all of you — with the resilient, positive, and proactive guidance of successive state governments — have contributed immensely and wholeheartedly to the development, growth, and sustenance of this exotic State.
Though we have done rather well in various sectors of the economy and society, there have been some hiccups, failures, and setbacks. But that is part of the game in a vibrant democratic setup.
Those who have acted with tact, care, control, and acumen deserve credit for our overall prosperity. And discredit, perhaps, goes to the road-blockers who keep cribbing and only making demands.
How many of us have attained — or aspire to
attain — a state of takeoff, and later, self-actualization?
There is no harm in trying.
Economics teaches us: Wants are unlimited, but the means to meet them are limited.
We, the people of Sikkim, have not been deterred even while facing rough weather in this ecologically fragile Himalayan State. We have moved ahead with discipline, non-violence, and committed spirit. That is our hallmark. It shows our strength even when landslides, flash floods, earthquakes, or GLOFs confront us.
The population of the State is rising gradually, if not rapidly. Against an approximate population of 10 lakhs, the number of tourists has already surpassed it. How do we cope with this situation?
We must plan and act keeping in view our carrying capacity. Tourism is indeed crucial — it boosts, bolsters, and sustains the State’s economy. But the availability of drinking water, sanitation, health infrastructure, road networks, accommodation, and vehicles must be properly assessed and addressed.
Accommodation in both urban and rural destinations has been praiseworthy, but we must think about maintenance from a futuristic angle.
While the availability of cell phones, laptops, satellite phones, etc., eases communication, it also teases — tempting us to indulge in deception, disloyalty, and lies, whether in personal or professional life. When we become slaves to these devices, we lose the ability to pinpoint fair-weather friends.
Before summing up, I must speak about the Education and Health sectors. While we have excelled in terms of quantity, we still lack in quality. All concerned government servants must identify the loopholes and work diligently to improve them.
Our performance in rural development has been remarkable — even path breaking.
We were the first Nirmal State in 2008, the first ODF State, and have been praised for vibrant Panchayats and for ensuring more than required representation of women in both rural and urban local bodies.
Our Anganwadis are superb, thanks to their dedicated workers and helpers. We were the first State to provide free uniforms to tiny tots attending ICDS centres, we give milk daily to children, and we started giving eggs more than a decade ago — ahead of many other states.
Similarly, our ASHAs have always led from the front. We were the first State to provide them with an honorarium from meagre state resources.
TO CONCLUDE
A system of rewards for good work — and
consequences for poor performance — must be introduced not just in government
offices, but also in civic life.
Sincerity and punctuality are essential. There can be no compromise on
this vital front.
One must think and act beyond selfish attitudes. The real key to happiness is to expect less from the Government and depend more on confident, self-driven action.
LET US MOVE AHEAD AND AHEAD. NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE.
My best wishes from Noida.
