Gangtok 16 Nov: International Flower festival will be organized in Sikkim in 2008 and the cash prizes will be given to the winners, Chief Minister Dr. Pawan Chamling while addressing the newly elected panchayats at Samman Bhavan here declared on November 15. He urged the members of Panchayat to make conscious of the importance of flowers among the growers and floriculturists of the States and make the the proposed international flower festival 2008 a grand success. He also urged to develop the quality of growing flowers and take mass participation by the floriculturists and farmers in this noble endeavor and profession. Chief Minister has already directed to the concerned department to make all the necessary arrangements and complete the taske byl the month of February 2008 for the grand international show. He also said that the Government is actively looking for the global market and broaden the scope of the products. He also said that the right message to the people must reach that the flower cultivation or growing is a noble profession which can be rewarded suitably. To boost the initiative, Chief Minister Dr. Chamling added that there will be an open competition for wild orchids and the cash prizes for first, second and third winners would be Rs. 1.50 lakhs, Rs. 1 lakhs and fifty thousand respectively. Three best stall too would be awarded with Cash prize Rs. 2 lakhs, 1.50 lakhs and 75 thousands, he further declared. In the national level, the prizes carries the cash amount of Rs. 3 lakhs, Rs. 2 lakhs and Rs. 1 lakhs for the winners in first, second and third positions respectively. Similarly, in the international level, the prizes carries the cash amount of Rs. 5 lakhs, Rs. 3 lakhs and Rs. 2 lakhs respectively
