Monday, Jul 08, 2024 07:15 [IST]
Last Update: Monday, Jul 08, 2024 01:46 [IST]
GANGTOK,: The upcoming State Budget 2024-25 would be focusing on ‘BiPaSa’ –
electricity (Bijuli), drinking water (Pani) and road (Sadak) sectors – a major electoral
promise of the SKM government, informed SKM spokesperson Bikash Basnet.
“The main
points of this year’s budget will be on ‘BiPaSa’. Special focus would be given
on these three sectors,” said Basnet at a press meet here on Saturday.
SKM
president and Chief Minister PS Golay had laid special thrust on strengthening
electricity supply, drinking water and road sectors in Sikkim under the
‘BiPaSa’ slogan during the 2024 election campaign.
The State
Budget 2024-25 Assembly session is tentatively scheduled in the first week of
August after the conclusion of the Union Budget session in the Parliament later
this month. It will be the first Budget of the second SKM government.
Basnet
added that the State Budget 2024-25 would also focus on the upcoming Golden
Jubilee celebrations of Sikkim Statehood Day.
“The
programmes and activities to be undertaken for the year-long celebration of 50
years of Sikkim being an integral part of India would be included in the
budget. This is a huge moment for Sikkim. The Chief Minister aims to make it go
beyond celebrations and wants the people of Sikkim to benefit. Focusing on
this, we have outlined many policies in this upcoming budget,” said the SKM
spokesperson.
During his
Delhi trip last month, Chief Minister PS Golay extended an invitation to Prime
Minister Narendra Modi to be the chief guest at Sikkim’s 50th Statehood Day
celebrations on May 16, 2025, which the Prime Minister graciously accepted.
After the
second SKM government took oath on June 10, the Chief Minister convened the
first cabinet meeting at Tashiling Secretariat which also set the tone for a
grand 50th Statehood Day celebration. The Home department, being the nodal
department, was directed to prepare and meticulously execute a calendar of
activities for the Statehood celebration.