Gangtok. May 30 (UNI) Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Sing Tamang has lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for announcing a slew of projects, especially promotion of tourism and infrastructure, to mark this landlocked Himalayan state's golden jubilee celebrations.
"It was a great honour to witness the Prime Minister virtually inaugurate five landmark projects during the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Sikkim’s statehood," Tamang said after Modi virtually announced various projects from Bagdogra airport after his helicopter failed to fly following bad weather conditions.
He named particularly five projects, which the PM inaugurated on Thursday: a hospital in Namchi, south Sikkim, Swarna Jayanti Maitreya Manjari Project, Ridge Park, Gangtok, a passenger ropeway at Sangachoeling, Pelling (west Sikkim, a statue of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Atal Amrit Udyan, Sangkhola and a cow shelter at Mamring, Pakyong district of east Sikkim.
Besides the PM also laid the foundation stones for several key projects aimed at transforming Sikkim’s infrastructure and economy, said Tamang. They are Swarna Jayanti Convention Centre, Namli ( east), Swarna Jayanti sports and cultural complex, Gangtok, skywalk project at Bhaley Dhunga, Namchi, south, Nathula border experience, (east ), a glass skywalk bridge at Gyalshing (west) and a working women hostel, Tadong (east) and a 100-bed hospital at Pakyong (east).
The CM said these projects reflect the shared vision of a progressive, inclusive, and self-reliant Sikkim.
" On behalf of the people of Sikkim, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Minister for his continued support and blessings," the Sikkim CM said.
Sikkim, primarily an agrarian state, has hardly any space for producing kharif crops. It is mainly dependent on tourism since the landlocked state was opened to domestic tourists in the early 90s and later for foreigners in some areas as the state strategically has three international borders of China, Bhutan and Nepal.
The tourism department has highlighted the Centrally sponsored for augmentation of the infrastructure to attract more travelers. A media statement from the department said the Swarna Jayanti Convention Centre at Namli, Gangtok, is set to enhance Gangtok’s urban infrastructure, designed as a premier destination for national and international events and Swarna Jayanti sports & cultural complex in Gangtok is designed to promote cultural and sports activities for the ethnic people of the state.
The skywalk project at Bhaley in Namchi, will be a 240-metre long circular glass-bottom walkway, which will be the nation’s first ecotourism skywalk.
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