EXCLUSIVE | SE Interview with Union Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia

NH 10 has our attention, we must make sure alternative is given for this lifeline of Sikkim: Scindia

GANGTOK,: Jyotiraditya Scindia is an influential Indian politician and is presently the Union Minister for DoNER & Communications. Notably, Scindia shares a Nepali connection through his late mother, Rajmata Madhavi Raje, who is from the Royal Rana family of Nepal.

The Union DoNER minister visited Sikkim on September 5 and 6 to review the ongoing projects of his ministry and also to understand the infrastructural requirements of this Northeastern State. He held an important meeting with Chief Minister PS Golay and Sikkim government officials on September 6 at Samman Bhavan.

Before leaving Sikkim, the Union DoNER minister sat down for an exclusive interview with SIKKIM EXPRESS where he shared about his responsibility towards Sikkim’s development, tourism and of course, NH 10 – a road trip he made twice in 24 hours. Here are the excerpts of this conversation…

On what brings him to Sikkim and his discussions with the CM

DoNER Minister: I have share a very special relation with Sikkim and mainly due to the Nepali connection, people of Sikkim are very close to my heart. Being the DoNER Minister, I have the responsibility towards the development of Sikkim. Today, I met the Chief Minister of Sikkim PS Golay and we had a fruitful discussion, based on certain metrics I have tried to develop. I think it is important for every State in the Northeast, and not just Sikkim to look at the development paradigm based on a comparative demand vis-a-vis other States in the Northeast and against all the other States in India. Finally, also look at its opportunities with regard to its international neighbours. That is one of the analysis that the CM and I talked about, whether it is worthwhile and the things we should do.

We also looked at all the DoNER projects and its progress, its execution etc. We also looked at the other major projects under the 10 per cent cross-budgetary support of all 55 line ministries of the Government of India.

There are many ambitious projects executed in Sikkim i.e. highway projects, Rangpo-Sevoke rail line project. The cabinet has passed Rs. 4316 cr economic investment package for 1500 MW in the Northeastern development hydro power projects…that is something I made the Chief Minister aware of.

There are number of potential projects that the CM also brought to my notice i.e. completing of hospital in Mangan as well as Gangtok medical college, that hopefully will be sanctioned in the coming week for Rs 170 crores and also the 500-bed speciality hospital in Namchi for Rs 447 crores, which is still awaiting proposal. And, we will take it forward. There are number of these projects under PM DEVINE viz. the skywalk in two areas. Some ropeways are up and running, that we had sanctioned. There are number of projects for the development of Sikkim we are looking at.

Finally we also discussed the three flagship conferences like the DoNER minister is hoping to organise i.e. the banking summit for the NE region that will coincide with the NEC plenary, AsthaLakshmi handloom cultural festival which we are planning to organise in Delhi at the end of this year and the NE investment summit to be organised at the end of the first quarter, next year for all the NE States. We have a robust pipeline of schemes, projects and conferences that we intend to take forward with the Northeast region.

On NH 10 and unique terrain-weather challenges faced by Sikkim

DoNER Minister: There are many States in India with extreme weather conditions. Along with Sikkim, the rest of the Northeast is also exposed to this.  Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh are also exposed to these challenges. As government, whether State or Centre, it is our ultimate objective to make sure that we get infrastructure up and running, as soon as possible…which is why, I landed in Bagdogra and came via NH10 to Gangtok last night. I am returning via, the same road route.

I had a detailed discussion with the CM regarding this as well, and what he has stated is the alternative alignment on the current alignment of NH10 on the eastern bank because of the extreme amount of denudation that is happening, with regard to the weather, so as to give a parallel infrastructure. That is under the examination of the Ministry of Road, Transportation & Highways. That is something that is under our attention and we must make sure that there is an alternative given for this lifeline that the NH10 represents.

On Sikkim Tourism enhancement & Pakyong Airport

DoNER Minister: Sikkim is doing well in terms of tourism amongst all the Northeast States. But, there is always much more than can be done. I have spent some time and put together a task for tourism for the Northeast States. Within Sikkim, we have looked at Namchi as the possible tourism destination, which is what the State government has also proposed, and bring world-class tourism facilities in that area. Tourism is a huge potential across the Northeast. The mountainous beauty you see in the Northeast can’t be availed in any part of the world, not just India. It is important that we exposition the capability. The skywalks and ropeways that we have proposed…all will go a long way to boost tourism. The rail line from Sevoke to Rangpo will also make a huge difference in capability of people to travel,

Similarly, we talked about the Pakyong airport which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself. It was shocking that for 75 years of Independence Sikkim did not have an airport. That is the case with Arunachal as well. Today, Arunachal has three airports and Sikkim has the Pakyong airport, it is all due to the steely resolve of the PM.

The Northeast had only nine airports in 2014. Today, the Northeast has 17 airports. So the infrastructure has galloped, whether you talk about airports, railways where 66 line kms were laid, today 180 line kms are being laid, which is a 3X multiple. If you look at the budgetary outlay of railways, which was Rs. 2000 cr in 2014-15, is now Rs 100000 cr, which is 5X multiple.

Similarly, from the gross-budgetary support of the 55 line ministries of the Central government, where you had Rs 25000 cr as the outlay, today, we have Rs 1 lakh 2000 crores. That is the emphasis of the PM has given to Purvotar and from Purvotar, the rise of India will start. Purvotar is looked at as the last vantage point of India. The PM has turned the paradigm on its head and is now today the first PAN Card of India and the entry point of India. The first State where the sun rays fall is Arunachal Pradesh, the land of the rising sun. That prathmikta for the first time has been given by the PM for the Northeast.

Recently, the DoNER Ministry expressed concern about the delayed projects in the NE states under the schemes of DoNER or the North Eastern Council. How does Sikkim rank in this performance list and whether there are areas for improvement?

DoNER Minister: Sikkim has done moderately well and has completed a large number of projects. There are 13 projects that are still delayed beyond two years, beyond their completion date. The 13 projects are worth Rs 243 crores and I have highlighted that in our meeting today with the Chief Minister. He has taken it in his resolve to make sure that we execute these projects as soon as possible. There are also many landmark projects Sikkim has executed well in time. Many of those include the ropeways, schools, hospitals etc. Sikkim has done quite well so far, and we are now looking at approving many more projects for Sikkim, some of which are the highlighted including the medical college and 500-bedded hospital in Namchi.