Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, July 28: Chief Minister of Sikkim, Pawan Chamling called on Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh and held an over half-an-hour one-to-one meeting to discuss wide range of issues including the various developmental projects in the State and the recent disturbances on account of Gorkhaland agitation.
Dr Jitendra Singh conveyed to the Chief Minister the need to complete the ongoing work of the Airport at Pakyong near Gangtok and expressed the hope that the same would be a game – changer for tourism, revenue and job generation in this peripheral eighth State of North-Eastern region.
Lauding the Government and the civil society of Sikkim for maintaining high literacy and growth rates over the years, Dr Jitendra Singh also appreciated the smooth roll-out and implementation of the GST in this tiny State. He also hailed the positive and cooperative approach with which the State of Sikkim has adopted the “One Nation, One Tax” reform of GST.
In response to an invitation from the Chief Minister, Dr Jitendra Singh said, he had been preoccupied with the flood situation in the North-Eastern States of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur, but in near future, possibly sometime around September, he would undertake a visit to Gangtok.
Pawan Chamling conveyed to the DoNER Minister his concern over the blockade of the vital Rangpo-Siliguri (NH10) road link caused by the Gorkhaland protesters leading to breakdown of the only road link that exists between the State of Sikkim and the rest of India. He appealed for certain remedial measures to prevent such blockade from happening time and again.
Dr Jitendra Singh noted down all the points raised by the Chief Minister. He said, he would deliberate on all these issues within the DoNER Ministry as well as with the other concerned Ministries and keep the Chief Minister accordingly informed.
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