Tuesday, Apr 02, 2024 10:30 [IST]
Last Update: Tuesday, Apr 02, 2024 04:57 [IST]
GANGTOK,: Former Chief Minister Pawan Chamling on Monday held SDF election campaign meetings in Rinchenpong and Gyalshing-Barnyak constituencies, reaching out the party’s plans and programmes to the people there ahead of the Sikkim Elections 2024.
Addressing the gatherings there, Chamling promised to pour development in the villages with 70 per cent of State budget for rural Sikkim along with multiple schemes for boosting agriculture, if SDF is elected to power.
Prominent among his announcements were free land terracing of agricultural fields of the villagers and annual grant of Rs. 60,000 to the farmers for agricultural activities.
“Our SDF government will pour development in the villages for uplifting the rural populace by allocating 70 per cent of the State budget for rural Sikkim. We will do terracing of all agricultural lands of the villagers - they will get double benefit of contract work and their lands being terraced. Like before, we will provide free seeds, organic manure and agriculture inputs along with subsidized or free cattle seed to the farmers. We will also give Rs. 60,000 annually to the farmers for agricultural activities,” said Chamling.
The SDF president told the gathering that the party has numerous programmes for rural Sikkim aimed to increase the income of the villagers and farmers. “During our time, money used to flow in the villages which has not happened under this present government. After our government comes, we will spend 70% of State budget in the villages like before,” he said.
Speaking on Rinchenpong constituency, the SDF president announced to develop Rinchenpong as a premier tourism destination through tourism-related projects and harnessing its natural beauty. Our aim is to develop and promote Rinchenpong as a major tourism destination like Pelling.
The SDF president also committed to establish an International Gurung Heritage & Cultural Centre in Rinchenpong. The centre will serve as a pilgrimage centre for the Gurung community of the world, he said. He also promised to install a 100 ft-tall prayer tower for the Christian community in Rinchenpong.
Chamling, in his address, urged the Rinchenpong constituency voters to extend their support to SDF candidate Norden Bhutia, whom he defined as a person coming from grassroots level and as such, keenly aware of the local issues and problems. He also urged the people to vote for SDF Lok Sabha candidate PD Rai, a former two-term Parliamentarian.
The Rinchenpong meeting was also addressed by candidates Norden Bhutia and PD Rai.
After campaigning in Rinchenpong, Chamling reached Gyalshing-Barnyak to address a SDF public meeting there at Bojey ground. He told the gathering that the SDF has fielded Dr. Tika Nepal as per the demand of the party workers and public of Gyalshing-Barnyak, and expressed his confidence that the SDF’s candidate will emerge victorious.
In his address, Chamling reiterated that the SDF would secure Limboo-Tamang reserved Assembly seats during the 2026 Delimitation, and maintained that the Limboo-Tamang seats were about to be given by the Centre before the 2019 elections but got halted due to alleged hurdles and court cases by the SKM functionaries. He also promised to fulfil the demands and requirements of Gyalshing-Barnyak constituency.
The public meeting for Gyalshing-Barnyak was also addressed by the SDF candidate Dr. Tika Nepal, Lok Sabha MP candidate PD Rai and others.
