Gangtok: On her second day of visit to Sikkim, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman described the state as “understated,” with a quiet focus on the welfare of its people and the country.
During her visit, the Finance Minister virtually inaugurated a 3.5 km long ropeway from Dhapper to Bhaleydhunga in the Namchi district of Yangang.
The ropeway, which reaches an altitude of 3154 meters, was built at a cost of Rs 209.57 crore, with gap funding of Rs 57.82 crore provided under the PM DevINE scheme.
Earlier in the day, the Finance Minister took a stroll along the MG Marg and interacted with various entrepreneurs from Sikkim who had set up special shops for her. Later, Sitharaman participated in an outreach programme organized by NABARD, which was attended by Chief Minister Prem Singh Golay and other officials and dignitaries.
During her address at the gathering, Sitharaman praised Sikkim for its quiet yet impactful work towards the welfare of its people. She said, “Sikkim is an understated State, where a lot of work is happening silently without making noise about it. I saw many small economic ventures here that are people-centric and run by locals, who do not worry about where the raw materials come from. These ventures generate their own raw materials, which is reflected in the impressive projects on display.”
Sitharaman also praised the substantial participation of women in business ventures and self-help groups in the state. She said, “I noticed that the business ventures and self-help groups in Sikkim have significant participation of women, which is commendable. The budget this year focuses more on supporting women-led ventures and self-help groups. There are provisions for them to market, brand and maintain accounts to ensure the quality of their products and services. The budget will provide all possible assistance to women entrepreneurs. I would like to suggest that self-help groups focus more on the service sector than production. For example, they can provide elderly or geriatric care services, where they can train themselves and others. This would be beneficial for people who need home-based care.”
The Finance Minister also spoke in detail about the various schemes and financial assistance provided by NABARD during the outreach programme. She distributed cheques from NABARD to various entrepreneurs and business ventures in the state.
The Finance Minister visited Lachen in the Mangan district of North Sikkim. She met with the Dzumsa Association of Lachen and Lachung and also launched an ATM of the State Bank of India in Lachen.
Prior to her visit, Sitharaman highlighted the importance of border villages, which she referred to as “Vibrant Villages,” and the need for various developmental projects to improve economic opportunities and connectivity in those areas. She stressed the importance of common facilities such as schools, roads, optical fibres, and internet services reaching such villages. During her visit to Lachen, she assessed the shortcomings in the region and reviewed the various developmental projects sanctioned for Vibrant Villages. Sitharaman acknowledged that one visit would not suffice and expressed her desire to visit Lachen again in the future.
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During the event, Sitharaman distributed sanction letters and cheques for various developmental projects under NABARD, as well as credit facilities provided by banks, to the beneficiaries of different schemes.
Sanction letters totalling Rs 7.24 crore for various programmes implemented by NABARD were distributed to nine projects during the event.
The Bhaleydhunga Ropeway is the longest and highest ropeway in the state, with a maximum speed of 6 m/s and a quick travel time of only 13 minutes to reach the Bhaleydhunga top. This makes it an attractive alternative to the arduous six-hour-long trek previously required to reach the top.
In addition, Sitharaman also virtually laid the foundation stone for the Mini Secretariat and Niyukti Bhawan at Lumsey in Gangtok during her visit.
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