Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, on Tuesday tabled the Sikkim Budget for the fiscal year 2018-19 in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly.
Chamling, who also holds the Finance portfolio while presenting the Budget said the Budget for the fiscal year 2018-19 was youth-centric and employment oriented.
The total expenditure proposed in the Budger for the financial year 2018-19 is Rs 7051.09 crore with fiscal deficit remaining in adherence of the fiscal management targets set in the Sikkim Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act 2010, that is not more than 3% of the GSDP.
Chamling began his budget speech by highlighting the Chief Minister’s Start-up Scheme (CMSS) for which required financial provisions have been made to implement the scheme.
Recently, the Chief Minister had announced 100 youths from each of the 31 territorial constituencies of Sikkim would be provided with the CMSS and a CMSS camp in Gangtok would be held later this month.
Chamling went on to say that his government is keen to provide best possible and financial handholding to the unemployed youth of the State who desires to set up of start-up ventures in organic agriculture and other remunerative areas.
The on-going Budget session would also witness presentation of ‘Agricultural and Horticultural Commodities Regulatory Bill 2018’, as an extension of the organic farming mission of the State. The proposed new bill aims to restrict entry of enlisted non-organically produced fruits and vegetables into the State.
Chamling in his speech further said Sikkim will be made self-sufficient in food grain production too within the next five years.
On rural development, the Chief Minister informed that by 2019, all eligible habitations as per the 2001 Census in the State would be connected by PMGSY roads.
He also said the State government is aiming to convert 3,000 kutcha houses into pucca houses under CMRHM and another 1,095 kutcha houses to pucca houses under PMAY (Gramin) to ensure that everyone in Sikkim will have his own pucca house.