Interview with Sikkim CM Pawan Chamling

Gangtok: Before motoring off to South villages on his June 3 itinerary, Chief Minister Dr. Pawan Chamling took off time to interact with media for about 30 minutes at Temi tourist guest house and shared the objective behind his marathon tour of rural Sikkim.

Excerpts of the press meet




On his Sikkim Bhraman

CM: I have run the government for 17 years and people have reposed their faith in me for the fourth consecutive term as I have worked honestly. I am on this tour of entire Sikkim. I want to see whether development has reached villages or not and what the rural people want. There is still three years left for elections and I want to finish the pending works. As per democracy, people form the government and they are the masters and I want to meet my masters, solve their problems and give democracy a practical form.

On the accompanying bureaucracy

CM: I am accompanied by ministers, MLAs, additional chief secretary and departmental heads. In short, the government has come to the people at their door steps to listen to them and sanction justified demands on the spot. We have brought along the bureaucracy so that the departmental heads see the ground reality in rural areas. Being a part of this new exercise, officials will be able to understand the ground reality and our government will be more democratic.

On road experience so far

CM: During my tour, I thought there will be many complaints but not many complaints are coming as the people are happy. It is due to the fact that we have fulfilled all the basic minimum needs and we are now on second generation development works by strengthening our infrastructure and delivering quality services. We want to give quality drinking water, power, education and health.

On democratic dividend enjoyed by Sikkimese

CM: Until we practice collective responsibility, our nation will not develop. Each one of us has to shoulder our responsibility. The fruits of development in Sikkim are enjoyed by everyone. There is peace, good law and order, development and good roads in Sikkim and everyone is happy. This is a democratic dividend people are enjoying here. But compare to other States where there is disturbance or insurgency. The people there are suffering and it is a democratic deficit.

On infrastructure development

CM: The infrastructure in Sikkim has doubled during my 17 years of government as compared to that developed by the Monarchy and Nar Bahadur Bhandari. I have given two times more development than their combined tenure. This is my contribution. The roads are twice in length and quality. Barring a few, whatever assets people are seeing in Sikkim now has come during our SDF government. Sikkim was introduced to industrialization during my time and whenever industrialization of Sikkim is discussed, my name will come up.