From ‘Heaven of the East’ Towards a ‘Golden, Prosperous and Capable Sikkim’: Chief Minister’s Message on the 51st State Day

Gangtok – As Sikkim celebrates its 51st State Day, Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang (Golay) has extended his warmest greetings to all Sikkimese at home and across the world. He stated that the recent visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi granted national recognition to Sikkim’s five-decade journey.

The Chief Minister said, “The Prime Minister described Sikkim as the ‘heaven of the East’ and praised it as a model of sustainable development, environmental conservation, organic farming, cleanliness and peaceful coexistence.” During Prime Minister Modi’s visit, development projects worth over four thousand crore rupees were inaugurated and had their foundation stones laid. In addition, he recalled that Modi’s brief game with young footballers reflected the limitless potential of Sikkim’s youth power.

The Chief Minister defined the state’s development journey as a path from ‘expansion to excellence’. He said, “Our responsibility now is to move from access to quality, and from creation to long-term maintenance, sustainability and innovation.” He presented a detailed account of progress made in education, skill development, entrepreneurship, sports and healthcare to strengthen Sikkim’s role in the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’.

In education, Sikkim has become the first state to implement a kindergarten system across all government schools. Through ‘Mission Lakshya’, preparation for IIT-JEE and NEET is provided within the state itself, while the ‘Nar Bahadur Bhandari Fellowship’ offers financial assistance of up to fifty lakh rupees for postgraduate studies at international universities. In sports, the revival of the State Sports Academy at Paljor Stadium, the Tarundeep Rai Archery Academy and the proposal to establish a boxing academy named after Jas Lal Pradhan aim to develop Sikkim as a high-performance sports centre.

In healthcare, the state’s first cancer care centre at STNM Hospital, gynecologic oncology, and advanced facilities such as electrophysiology and radiofrequency ablation for cardiac care have come into operation. In the AYUSH sector, Sikkim has advanced a holistic health model by blending Sowa Rigpa, Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy. The Chief Minister’s Vatsalya Scheme has provided financial assistance to 816 women for IVF treatment.

In tourism, the operation of passenger ropeways at Bhaleydhunga, Yangang and Pelling, along with the construction of a skywalk at Bhaleydhunga and a glass bridge at Singshore, aim to position Sikkim as a high-value tourism destination. The ‘Mega Homestay Scheme’ targets the establishment of one thousand homestays to boost the rural economy. Sikkim’s tourist footfall reached 17.2 lakh in 2025.

In agriculture, Sikkim, declared India’s first fully organic state in 2016, is carrying out chemical-free farming on over 76 thousand hectares of land. The ‘Mero Alaichi, Mero Dhan’ mission has promoted climate-resilient agriculture. Sikkim has prepared India’s first demonstrative Glacial Lake Outburst Flood Mitigation Plan for Shako Chho.

In rural development, the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana has constructed over 4,600 kilometres of roads, while the Sikkim Garib Aawas Yojana has completed the construction of 7,050 houses. The State Rural Livelihood Mission has formed 5,869 self-help groups and turned 14,719 women into ‘Lakhpati Didis’. Under the Swachh Bharat Mission, Sikkim was declared India’s first ODF Plus Model State in 2023.

In entrepreneurship, the number of registered MSMEs has surged from 250 in 2019 to over 35 thousand in 2026. The Mukhyamantri Yuva Udyamsheelta Vikas Yojana provides seed capital of up to five lakh rupees with the vision of ‘One Family, One Entrepreneur’. Sikkim has been recognised as an ‘Aspiring Leader’ in the DPIIT Start-up Ecosystem Ranking 2026.

The Chief Minister expressed confidence that the establishment of a multi-modal trade corridor at Chewa Bhanjyang along the Nepal border and the planned reopening of the Nathula trade route would reinforce Sikkim’s strategic importance in regional connectivity and trade.

In conclusion, the Chief Minister said, “Let us all come together and contribute to the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ in the spirit of a ‘Sunaulo, Samriddha ani Samarth Sikkim’.”